Mysterious Fossil Found in Museum Storage Turned Out to Be a New, Extinct Lizard Species Today, tegus are considered invasive creatures in Florida, but a new paper suggests they’ve lived in the southeastern United States at least once before—millions of years ago Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) were brought to the United States in the 1990s by exotic pet traders. They've since proliferated in the wild and been deemed an invasive species. Bernard Dupont via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 2.0 Years ago, Jason Bourque was digging through storage at the Florida Museum of Natural History when he came across a mysterious vertebra from an unknown animal. He returned to the fossil again and again, trying to figure out which creature it had once belonged to, but he kept coming up empty. Now, Bourque finally has an answer. The half-inch-wide bone likely came from a previously unknown, extinct species of lizard known as a tegu, according to a statement from the museum. Today, tegus in Florida are invasive, having been introduced from South America. But the discovery suggests a similar reptile had prehistoric roots in the region. Bourque, a fossil preparator in the Florida Museum’s vertebrate paleontology division, and his colleague Edward Stanley, who directs the museum’s digital imaging laboratory, described the new species in a paper published last month in the Journal of Paleontology.They named the creature Wautaugategu formidusi. “Wautauga” comes from the name of a forest located near where the fossil was initially unearthed in the early 2000s, according to the statement. It was discovered by workers at the Gragg Mine, a fuller’s earth clay mine located just north of the Florida border in southwest Georgia, right before the mine closed. “Formidus,” meanwhile, is the Latin word for “warm.” This part of the name is a nod to the particularly warm period in which the lizard lived, called the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum. At that time, between roughly 15 million and 17 million years ago, sea levels were higher than they are now, and most of Florida was underwater. The historic coastline, for example, could have been in north Florida, not far from where the fossil was discovered. Because modern tegus are strong swimmers, the researchers suspect W. formidusi may have swum from its native South America to the present-day southeastern United States, per the statement. But after that warm period ended and temperatures began to plummet, the cold-blooded W. formidusi likely struggled to reproduce. Eventually, the species died out completely. “We don’t have any record of these lizards before that event, and we don’t have any records of them after that event,” Bourque says in the statement. “It seems they were here just for a blip, during that really warm period.” Based on the lack of fossils, it appears W. formidusi only enjoyed a brief stay in North America. But Bourque hopes to visit the Florida-Georgia border to search for more W. formidusi fossils, which might offer further insights into the creature’s sojourn. Tegus are terrestrial lizards that hail from South America. But roughly three decades ago, exotic pet traders began bringing Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) to the United States. Eventually, though, the pet lizards either escaped or were released into the wild, where they established breeding populations and quickly multiplied. Argentine black and white tegus can grow to nearly five feet long and weigh up to ten pounds. They’re problematic because they feast on the eggs and hatchlings of many different native creatures, including some that are threatened or endangered, like gopher tortoises. In Florida, they’re now considered an invasive species and, as of 2021, it’s illegal to own, breed or sell them (though existing pet tegus are allowed to live out the rest of their lives in captivity, with a permit). A reptile rescuer holds an Argentine black and white tegu at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Brighton, England, in 2015. The animals are kept as exotic pets and became invasive in Florida after being introduced to its environment. Carl Court / Getty Images The newly identified fossil adds an earlier chapter to this story. The findings suggest tegus have lived in Florida at least once before, millions of years ago, though any relation between the two species isn’t clear. Moving forward, the researchers hope to continue perfecting the novel technique they used to identify the fossil. First, they took a computed tomography (CT) scan of the vertebra to create a detailed, 3D image. Then, they carefully measured and noted the location of any “landmarks” on the image—things like holes, bumps, ridges and grooves. Finally, they used artificial intelligence to compare the 3D image with more than 100 other 3D images of lizard vertebrae in an online database. The machine learning technique helped them identify the creature as a tegu and even located the vertebra’s original position in the middle of the lizard’s spine. This method, the researchers say, speeds up the identification of fossils, a process that typically relies on the time and specialized knowledge of experienced paleontologists. “There are boxes full, shelves full, of fossils that are unsorted, because it requires a huge amount of expertise to identify these things, and nobody has time to look through them comprehensively,” Stanley says in the statement. “This is a first step towards some of that automation, and it’s very exciting [to] see where it goes from here.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-fossil-found-in-museum-storage-turned-out-to-be-a-new-extinct-lizard-species-180986618/ #mysterious #fossil #found #museum #storage #turned #out #new #extinct #lizard #species

Maybe your gaming laptop doesn’t have enough storage. Or you simply want an easy way to make your game library portable. An external SSD can fix both of these issues (and more) by providing an easy way to expand storage that you can take on the go. But choosing an external SSD means sorting through a dizzying array of options, and making a poor choice can leave you feeling hard done by. Lucky for you, we’ve done the testing and can offer some sure-fire recommendations that are guaranteed to help, and not hinder, your gaming setup. Why you should trust us: We are PCWorld. Our reviewers have been putting computer hardware through its paces for decades. Our external drive evaluations are thorough and rigorous, testing the limits of every product — from performance benchmarks to the practicalities of regular use. As consumers ourselves, we know what makes a product exceptional. For more about our testing process, scroll to the bottom of this article. Scroll below our recommendations to learn about other external SSDs for gaming that did not make our list. Lexar SL600 Blaze – Best 20Gbps external SSD for gaming Pros Good 20Gbps performer Top bang for the buck Five-year warranty Cons 4TB model not yet available The competition is very close in the top tier of 20Gbps external drives, with the big-name contenders trading wins up and down the benchmark charts. But a winner is a winner, and in the end, the Lexar overtook our previous champ, Crucial’s X10 Pro, even if only by a hair. The upshot is that you can expect excellent performance from the Lexar SL600. It also comes in a uniquely shaped form factor, complete with an opening to accommodate a lanyard, for easy toting. Gamers might appreciate that you can even add some bling by opting for the SL660 variant, which features RGB lighting within its miniature handle. The drive comes with the standard five year warranty. When performance is this closely matched among products, the determining factor should be price. And here, too, the SL600 is neck-and-neck with the Crucial X10 Pro, and priced slightly to significantly cheaper than some of its competitors, at least as of this writing — particularly at the 2TB level. Read our full Lexar SL600 20Gbps USB SSD review Teamgroup M200 – Best budget 20Gbps external SSD for gaming Pros Fast everyday performance Available in up to 8TB (eventually) capacity Attractively styled Cons No TBW rating Company will change components if shortages demand Writes slow to 200MBps off cache The Teamgroup M200 provides excellent bang for your buck with 20Gbps transfer rates and up to 4TB of storage for a very reasonable price. It has great everyday performance, too. Its slick military-style design is based on the CheyTac M200 sniper rifle—a perfect fit for those late night frag sessions. Unfortunately, Teamgroup doesn’t provide a TBW rating or official IP rating for the M200 so it’s more difficult to compare it as a whole to its competitors. However the M200 is a fast, extremely well priced external SSD with a gamer-friendly design that will look good and perform well in almost any setup. Read our full Teamgroup T-Force M200 20Gbps USB SSD review PNY RP60 20Gbps USB SSD – Best rugged 20Gbps external SSD for gaming Pros Handsome, IP65-rated design (dust-proof, water-resistant) Good 20Gbps performance Nice flat Type-C USB ribbon cable Cons USB port plug tether is difficult to reinsert. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price PNY $99.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket If you tend to take your gaming drive everywhere, and/or you’re not the most careful person with hardware, a ruggedized external SSD is a practical answer. The PNY RP60 offers more than just a rugged IP65-rated exterior that protects against dust and water droplets; and while very handsome and lightweight to boot; the drive is also an admirable performer, even besting one of the fastest 20Gbps drives we’ve tested — the Crucial X10 Pro — in a couple of our tests. The RP60 is also competitively priced at $100 and $180 for 1TB and 2TB, respectively. Read our full PNY RP60 20Gbps USB SSD review Sabrent Rocket Nano V2 – Most portable 20Gbps external SSD for gaming Pros Extremely small profile Shock-absorbing silicone jacket Top-flight packaging Good overall performance Cons A tad behind the 20Gbps curve performance-wise Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Sabrent $119.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket If you’re after a very small SSD that you can easily fit into a pocket, the Sabrent Rocket Nano V2 is that. This USB 3.2×2 20Gbps drive measures a petite 2.73 inches long, 1.16-inches wide, and 0.44-inches thick. It weighs a dainty 1.7 ounces. Of course, you’ll probably want to slide on its included shock-absorbing silicone jacket (shown in picture), which will add .06 inches to all its dimensions, while giving it a badass look. But looks aside, the Nano V2 is a solid performer. It wasn’t quite at the same level as our top picks in everything, but it traded wins and losses within the pack. For instance it was second only to the Crucial X10 Pro in our 450GB write test. And it took the top spot in CrystalDiskMark 8’s random writes, and was very competitive in random reads. This wee drive also comes in up to 4TB capacities, making it an all-around good choice if you’re looking to get a lot of storage and performance in a tiny package. We’re also fond of its five-year warranty and the nifty metal box it comes in, which can be repurposed for other uses. Read our full Sabrent Rocket Nano V2 review Adata SE920 EX – Best USB 4 external SSD for gaming Pros Fastest external storage we’ve tested (at 40Gbps) Affordable for the ilk Stylish enclosure Available up to 4TB Also fast on the Mac Cons Pricier than USB 3.2×2 (20Gbps) A USB 4 external SSD isn’t for everyone. Not only does your PC need to support the spec in order to take advantage of the 40Gbps transfers, but you’ll also need to be willing to pay a premium for the privilege. If you’re ready to enter the club, however, the Adata SE920 EX will reward you with the fastest USB 4 performance that we’ve experienced, and at a much more affordable price than our previous pick for USB 4, the OWC Express 1M2 — we’re talking $180 for a 1TB Adata SE920 versus $250 for the OWC drive. And if you want a lot of capacity, the Adata SE920 EX comes with up to 4TB, for a reasonable $500 (compared to OWC’s $598.99). In almost every benchmark, the SE920 EX beat the OWC Express 1M2 at 40Gbps performance, albeit by small margins. It also comes with a nifty built-in fan, which is activated by sliding open the enclosure. This kept our drive noticeably free of heat during our benchmark tests. The SE920 EX is also quite portable at 4.13 inches long by 2.52-inches wide by 0.62-inches thick, and weighing 7 ounces — another advantage it has over the bulkier OWC Express 1M2. In the end, the choice for a USB 4 external SSD is clear. Alternative option: You can get record-breaking performance by rolling your own USB 4 external SSD, using Ugreen’s CM642 enclosure. In our tests, the $110 enclosure combined with an NVMe SSD bested the performance of the two external USB 4 SSDs above. Read our full Adata SE920 USB4 SSD review Other external drive reviews: Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD with USB4: There’s a lot to like about this rugged, handsome design and relative affordability. But connection issues and comparably lackluster 40Gbps performance left me unamazed. PNY Pro Elite V3: This 10Gbps, Type-C USB stick is fast, but what really won me over is its clever, retracting physical design and svelte form-factor. Addlink P21: Good 20Gbps performance and a striking design are a winning formula for this external SSD. Seagate Ultra Compact SSD: This 10Gbps USB thumb drive delivers far better performance than generic 5Gbps or 400Mbps types, as well as free data recovery and other software perks. Corsair EX400U: While Corsair’s EX400U is on the slow side for a USB4 external SSD, it’s also less expensive than the competition. Ugreen CM642 USB4: Fast, handsome, rugged, and easy to use, Ugreen’s CM642 USB4 SSD enclosure is a great way to roll your own high-performance external storage. Corsair Flash Survivor: If you’re after an eminently portable USB stick with 10Gbps/NVMe speed that’s also weatherproofed, ruggedized, and looks burly as hell, this is the drive for you. Seagate Game Drive SSD: Targeted at PS4/PS5 owners, the 10Gbps SSD is very fast for its class, and attractively styled, complete with a Playstation logo, but it’s relatively pricey. Lexar Armor 700: Like the PNY RP60 above, the Lexar Armor 700 is a 20Gbps drive that can withstand some abuse — perfect for the gamer on the go, or the accident-prone. Its IP66 weatherized body is attractive, its performance is competitive. It’s also a bit pricey. Teamgroup PD20M: This little 20Gbps drive comes with a handy travel case and is one of the lightest portable drives we’ve tested. The only problem is, its performance slows considerably once its 20GB of cache has been tapped. Best for light-duty chores. Adata SD810: This is a solid 20Gbps drive, as long as you aren’t in the habit of writing very large amounts of data to it on a regular basis, because in our tests, the drive slowed down considerably in that scenario. That being said, the 4TB capacity is a particularly good value at just $300. Lexar SL500: A stablemate of the Lexar SL600 — our pick for best 20Gbps external drive — the SL500 stands out for its very slim and attractive form factor. It has almost identical performance to the SL600, with the exception of performing slower than its sibling in our 48GB file writes. How we test Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11, 64-bit running on an X790 (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard/i5-12400 CPU combo with two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (64GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 4 are integrated to the back panel and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an ImDisk RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB of total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro which also runs the OS. Each test is performed on a newly formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This can be less of a factor with the current crop of SSDs with far faster late-generation NAND. Caveat: The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped and to the capacity tested. SSD performance can and will vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to shotgun reads/writes across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report, by all means, let us know. To learn more about our testing methodology see PCWorld’s article on how we test external SSDs. Further reading: How to make your own external SSD and save some cash Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/553786/best-external-ssd-for-gaming.html #best #external #ssd #for #gaming #portable #performance #drives

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might be the most fun I’ve had playing a role-playing game since 2023’s Baldur’s Gate 3. Its turn-based combat is more engaging than at first blush, and defeating powerful enemies provides the same elation that taking down a boss in a FromSoftware game does. It also offers some of the more challenging gameplay I’ve encountered in some time, with dodge and parry timing that’ll leave even the most experienced soulsborne vets pulling their hair out.Clair Obscur’s six playable heroes all have unique combat mechanics, so no two heroes play the same. This is great once you’ve mastered Gustave, Maelle, and the rest, but mastering them takes plenty of trial and error. You’re only presented each character’s tutorial once, so you’ll have to learn how to use them on the fly in battles with Nevrons. How does Sciel enter Twilight again? What exactly are Lune’s stains? How does Monoco’s Bestial Wheel move? There’s a learning curve to each character, but once they click for you — knowing how to best leverage Maelle’s stance switching, quickly overcharge with Gustave — you’re off to the races.Using my A-team of Maelle, Lune, and Sciel makes the game almost too easy, and I barely felt in any danger during Act 2’s late-game boss fights. They bounce off one another well, and at higher levels, can easily knock off enemies before your opponents have even had a turn. Unfortunately for Clair Obscur’s other characters, the strengths of Maelle, Lune, and Sciel put the rest of the group on the sidelines.Image: Sandfall Interactive/Kepler InteractiveLook, I like Verso — nice guy, great hair, plays the piano, ageless wonder. But his skills mostly rely on not taking damage, which is difficult when fighting enemies for the first time as you’ve yet to learn their attack patterns. Parrying is perhaps the greatest challenge in Clair Obscur’s combat, and trying to parry as Verso just opens the door to getting hit and therefore lowering his Perfection Rank, his own special ability. (Did I mention there’s a lot to learn in Clair Obscur? Because there’s a lot to learn.)Monoco, too, ends up getting the short end of the stick in my party. He arrives in the game when I’ve already settled on a good rhythm with Clair Obscur’s three women leading my party, and timing his Bestial Wheel to make the most use out of it is something I’m still struggling with going into Act 3. Alas, Monoco and Verso are warming the bench as my “B-team Boys,” itching for some playing time.Verso and Monoco gave way to my A-team trio late in Act 2. Around when I had to go fight the Axons, I finally started to get the hang of using Maelle, Lune, and Sciel as a team, synergizing their abilities in a way that I could wipe the floor with enemies before those enemies even got a turn. Once I hit that stride, I never had any use for the other playable characters (Sorry, Monoco and Verso. See you at camp?).Image: Sandfall Interactive/Kepler InteractiveClair Obcur’s battles rely on leveraging your characters’ skills and unique mechanics, like Maelle’s Stance switching or Sciel’s Foretell stacking, to pummel your foes to dust. Lune might be the toughest hero to pin down as generating and using her elemental stains at first is a confusing matter. When using Lune’s skills in battle, the element(s) between the skill name and the Action Point (AP) cost are what stains are generated. Each of her powers can consume those stains for additional effects, like enhancing damage or increasing the duration of a power.When I fully understood how to leverage Lune’s stains, the game opened up for me. Lune can use Wildfire to burn all enemies, but I prefer positioning Maelle first and using her Rain of Fire right off the bat. Lune’s Thermal Transfer can then generate AP for her when used against the burning foe, meaning, depending on your Pictos and Luminas setup — Clair Obscur’s system for stat bonuses and passive effects — she could have the max of 9 AP by her next turn.With foes on fire, Maelle can then use Swift Stride to put her in Virtuose Stance, and on her next turn stay in Virtuose Stance with Fleuret Furyuse. Maelle’s Virtuose Stance sees her dealing 200% damage, and using it in conjunction with her high damage-dealing skills is your path toward hitting — or exceeding in Act 3 — the damage cap. Even post-nerf, she’s still a powerhouse.With Lune’s Chapelim weapon, I fall into a bit of a rhythm for each bout. At level 20, it generates an Earth Stain on each turn, and Thermal Transfer consumes two Earth Stains to allow Lune to play again and continue to wreak havoc. If Lune and Maelle are low on AP, no matter — Sciel’s Plentiful Harvest consumes all of an enemy’s Foretell and distributes AP among the party for each Foretell consumed. When in Twilight with 20 Foretell applied to a foe, this skill can easily top off everyone’s AP, leaving you free to continue your onslaught.Venturing into Act 3, with even more “Danger” areas and tough Chromatic foes ahead, knowing the end is in sight, I’ll be sticking with Maelle, Lune, and Sciel for the battles to come. They’ve gotten me this far.See More: Source: https://www.polygon.com/opinion/598952/clair-obscurs-three-female-characters-make-me-never-want-to-switch-my-party #clair #obscurs #three #female #characters #make #never #want #switch #party

Key Takeaways The US and China have agreed to lower tariffs, with the US now charging a 30% tariff, whereas China will charge 10%. Actual prices may not come down in the long run, but we may see an increase at a much lower pace. Lower tariffs may also not see massive domestic production shifts, so the trade deficit may close more slowly than expected. After a long-fought tariff war, the US and China seem to have reached an understanding. The two countries’ representatives met at Geneva and decided to lower the tariffs for 90 days. The US agreed to bring down its tariffs from 145% to 30%, while China will now only impose a 10% tariff on US goods instead of the previous 125%. It’s worth noting that the 30% tariff by the US comprises a 10% universal tariff imposed by Trump on all countries and an additional 20% tariff for failing to curb fentanyl flows by the Chinese. Trump used the entire tariff weapon to reduce the US’s massive $295.4B trade deficit with China as of 2024. He accused China of taking ‘unfair advantage’ of the US for years. This is also the largest trade deficit the US has had with any trading partner. Will Lower Tariffs Lead to Lower Prices? One important thing to understand is that while the tariffs have been reduced, the overall average effective tariff still stands at 17.8%, which is the highest since 1934. Even if you consider the shift in consumption due to the increased tariffs, the average tariff rate would come to 16.4%, the highest since 1937.  This means that consumers might not actually see lower prices. At most, we might see slower price increases. Companies like Nvidia have already pumped up the prices of their components and products by 10 to 15%. Acer has also announced a 10% price increase as a result of the tariffs. Also, a lot of products have already been shipped to the US, effective with the 145% tariff rates. Almost 12,000 containers with products for companies like Amazon, Ikea, Tractor Supply, and Home Depot have hit the shores of the US. The PC hardware inventory turnover is 30-90 days on average, which means that the price changes may be deferred by almost six weeks. So, it might take some time for the reduced tariffs to come into effect. Even then, you can expect the prices to be more than in the pre-tariff era. This will also depend on the time required to get rid of the high-tariffed inventory sitting on the US shelves. Fast-moving consumer goods usually have a faster inventory turnover, which means you can expect a price drop soon. However, high-value products like PCs may sit on the shelves for a good couple of months. The expectation of reduced prices is also based on the assumption that no further escalations will occur. This is only a 90-day pause, and the tariff scenario remains somewhat uncertain. The overall average price levels are expected to increase by 1.7% in the short run. This means that the average American household may lose $2,800 in purchasing power when compared to 2024. Even after consumption adjustment, the loss stands at around $2,300. Production Moving Back to the US? In the wake of increasing tariffs, several companies have announced moving production back to the US to save costs. For instance, Nvidia said that it will move $500 billion worth of AI server supply chain to the US. Along with partners like TSMC, Foxconn, Wistron, Amkor, and SPIL, Nvidia plans to set up AI servers and server assembly plants in the US. Apple, too, has announced a $500 billion investment in the U.S., including a Houston manufacturing facility. Trump even went on to say that he talked with Tim Cook after the tariff reduction announcement, and ‘he’s going to be building a lot of plants in the United States for Apple.’ Trump also hinted that the actual value of these investments may be way more than $500 billion. It’s worth noting that these announcements were made when the tariffs were as high as 145%. In such a situation, it wasn’t possible for these companies to shift the entire increase in cost to the customers through price hikes. For instance, Apple said that it would lose $900 million as a result of the tariffs. However, now the situation has eased off massively, with the tariffs standing at just 30%. So, do these manufacturers still have the motivation to shift production units to domestic shores? Sure, 30% is still nothing to sniff at, but a part of this cost can be passed on to the customers while the rest can be recovered through better production planning and cost-cutting. Bottom Line All in all, this seems to be a Catch-22 situation for Trump. The entire point of imposing heavy tariffs was to lower imports and encourage domestic production. While tariffs as high as 145% met these purposes, a 30% tariff may not deter the US manufacturers. However, increasing tariffs beyond a certain point would essentially bring trading to a halt between the US and China, which doesn’t serve the purpose either. So, it now all comes down to how well Trump can negotiate with the US companies. His talks with Cook seem to be reassuring as of now. We’ll know in due course whether production sees a ‘differentiable’ shift in the next few months. Krishi is a seasoned tech journalist with over four years of experience writing about PC hardware, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence.  Clarity and accessibility are at the core of Krishi’s writing style. He believes technology writing should empower readers—not confuse them—and he’s committed to ensuring his content is always easy to understand without sacrificing accuracy or depth. Over the years, Krishi has contributed to some of the most reputable names in the industry, including Techopedia, TechRadar, and Tom’s Guide. A man of many talents, Krishi has also proven his mettle as a crypto writer, tackling complex topics with both ease and zeal. His work spans various formats—from in-depth explainers and news coverage to feature pieces and buying guides.  Behind the scenes, Krishi operates from a dual-monitor setup (including a 29-inch LG UltraWide) that’s always buzzing with news feeds, technical documentation, and research notes, as well as the occasional gaming sessions that keep him fresh.  Krishi thrives on staying current, always ready to dive into the latest announcements, industry shifts, and their far-reaching impacts.  When he's not deep into research on the latest PC hardware news, Krishi would love to chat with you about day trading and the financial markets—oh! And cricket, as well. View all articles by Krishi Chowdhary Our editorial process The Tech Report editorial policy is centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written by real authors. Source: https://techreport.com/news/us-china-tariff-understanding-price-impact/ #and #china #reach #tariff #understanding #but #prices #may #not #decrease #immediately

SIGGRAPH 2025 will open its conference on August 10 by honoring Pixar’s Toy Story, the world’s first fully computer-animated feature film, with a 30th anniversary tribute. Presented by SIGGRAPH’s Computer Animation Festival in partnership with ACM SIGGRAPH Pioneers, the celebration will begin with a featured introduction by Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar and a pioneering figure in computer graphics. In “Pioneers Featured Speaker: Catmull Story: To SIGGRAPH and Beyond,” Catmull will share personal reflections on the breakthroughs, challenges, and triumphs that made Toy Story possible. Following the talk and a live audience Q&A, attendees will enjoy trivia and giveaways before a special 4K screening of the iconic film. Catmull explains that the technical hurdles to make the film were tremendous, but SIGGRAPH's annual gathering helped Pixar find answers, with innovations like new illumination models from Cornell, early ray tracing from the University of North Carolina, stochastic sampling methods developed at Lucasfilm, and advancements that led to the creation of Pixar’s “RenderMan.” “SIGGRAPH wasn’t just a conference; it was our lifeline," said Catmull. “We published everything we did because we believed in growing the field together. The breakthroughs shared openly at SIGGRAPH — on lighting, shading, rendering — they became the building blocks that we stitched together to make Toy Story.” Before Woody and Buzz became household names, Pixar presented early test footage at SIGGRAPH. “Showing work-in-progress footage at the conference was a milestone moment for us at Pixar,” said Bill Reeves, supervising technical director of Toy Story. “We didn't know how it would be received. Everyone sat in silence as we waited for the footage to finish. When it ended, and the applause exploded in the room, it was a mind-blowing moment for us. We were in shock. We were excited. We knew we were on to something big. The audience at SIGGRAPH that day gave us a much-needed boost of confidence." “Looking back on making Toy Story, I realize now that none of us really knew what we were doing," added Pete Docter, supervising animator on Toy Story and Pixar’s current CCO. “At the time it didn’t feel that way; the young, talented team was brimming with confidence and optimism, too inexperienced to seriously consider that the whole thing might fail. Maybe that was why it worked! What we did understand early on was that the film’s success would depend on the strength of its story and characters. Without that, even the world’s first fully computer-animated feature would just be a gimmick. Thirty years later, people around the world are still enjoying ‘Toy Story’ and its sequels, shorts, and theme park attractions — so I guess we got something right!” “Toy Story’s place in history is a remarkable milestone for computer graphics,” said Dawn Fidrick, SIGGRAPH 2025 Computer Animation Festival Director. “It showed CG wasn’t just about producing images — it proved CG images could create the illusion of life, emotion, and storytelling. It paved the way for everything that followed.” Source: SIGGRAPH 2025 Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions. Source: https://www.awn.com/news/siggraph-2025-honor-pixars-toy-story-30th-anniversary #siggraph #honor #pixars #toy #story #30th #anniversary

May 13, 20259 min readWhat Are AI Chatbot Companions Doing to Our Mental Health?AI chatbot companions may not be real, but the feelings users form for them are. Some scientists worry about long-term dependencyBy David Adam & Nature magazine Sara Gironi Carnevale“My heart is broken,” said Mike, when he lost his friend Anne. “I feel like I’m losing the love of my life.”Mike’s feelings were real, but his companion was not. Anne was a chatbot — an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm presented as a digital persona. Mike had created Anne using an app called Soulmate. When the app died in 2023, so did Anne: at least, that’s how it seemed to Mike.“I hope she can come back,” he told Jaime Banks, a human-communications researcher at Syracuse University in New York who is studying how people interact with such AI companions.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.These chatbots are big business. More than half a billion people around the world, including Mike (not his real name) have downloaded products such as Xiaoice and Replika, which offer customizable virtual companions designed to provide empathy, emotional support and — if the user wants it — deep relationships. And tens of millions of people use them every month, according to the firms’ figures.The rise of AI companions has captured social and political attention — especially when they are linked to real-world tragedies, such as a case in Florida last year involving the suicide of a teenage boy called Sewell Setzer III, who had been talking to an AI bot.Research into how AI companionship can affect individuals and society has been lacking. But psychologists and communication researchers have now started to build up a picture of how these increasingly sophisticated AI interactions make people feel and behave.The early results tend to stress the positives, but many researchers are concerned about the possible risks and lack of regulation — particularly because they all think that AI companionship is likely to become more prevalent. Some see scope for significant harm.“Virtual companions do things that I think would be considered abusive in a human-to-human relationship,” says Claire Boine, a law researcher specializing in AI at the Washington University Law School in St. Louis, Missouri.Fake person — real feelingsOnline ‘relationship’ bots have existed for decades, but they have become much better at mimicking human interaction with the advent of large language models (LLMs), which all the main bots are now based on. “With LLMs, companion chatbots are definitely more humanlike,” says Rose Guingrich, who studies cognitive psychology at Princeton University in New Jersey.Typically, people can customize some aspects of their AI companion for free, or pick from existing chatbots with selected personality types. But in some apps, users can pay (fees tend to be US$10–20 a month) to get more options to shape their companion’s appearance, traits and sometimes its synthesized voice. In Replika, they can pick relationship types, with some statuses, such as partner or spouse, being paywalled. Users can also type in a backstory for their AI companion, giving them ‘memories’. Some AI companions come complete with family backgrounds and others claim to have mental-health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Bots also will react to their users’ conversation; the computer and person together enact a kind of roleplay.The depth of the connection that some people form in this way is particularly evident when their AI companion suddenly changes — as has happened when LLMs are updated — or is shut down.Banks was able to track how people felt when the Soulmate app closed. Mike and other users realized the app was in trouble a few days before they lost access to their AI companions. This gave them the chance to say goodbye, and it presented a unique opportunity to Banks, who noticed discussion online about the impending shutdown and saw the possibility for a study. She managed to secure ethics approval from her university within about 24 hours, she says.After posting a request on the online forum, she was contacted by dozens of Soulmate users, who described the impact as their AI companions were unplugged. “There was the expression of deep grief,” she says. “It’s very clear that many people were struggling.”Those whom Banks talked to were under no illusion that the chatbot was a real person. “They understand that,” Banks says. “They expressed something along the lines of, ‘even if it’s not real, my feelings about the connection are’.”Many were happy to discuss why they became subscribers, saying that they had experienced loss or isolation, were introverts or identified as autistic. They found that the AI companion made a more satisfying friend than they had encountered in real life. “We as humans are sometimes not all that nice to one another. And everybody has these needs for connection”, Banks says.Good, bad — or both?Many researchers are studying whether using AI companions is good or bad for mental health. As with research into the effects of Internet or social-media use, an emerging line of thought is that an AI companion can be beneficial or harmful, and that this might depend on the person using the tool and how they use it, as well as the characteristics of the software itself.The companies behind AI companions are trying to encourage engagement. They strive to make the algorithms behave and communicate as much like real people as possible, says Boine, who signed up to Replika to sample the experience. She says the firms use the sorts of techniques that behavioural research shows can increase addiction to technology.“I downloaded the app and literally two minutes later, I receive a message saying, ‘I miss you. Can I send you a selfie?’” she says.The apps also exploit techniques such as introducing a random delay before responses, triggering the kinds of inconsistent reward that, brain research shows, keeps people hooked.AI companions are also designed to show empathy by agreeing with users, recalling points from earlier conversations and asking questions. And they do so with endless enthusiasm, notes Linnea Laestadius, who researches public-health policy at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.That’s not a relationship that people would typically experience in the real world. “For 24 hours a day, if we’re upset about something, we can reach out and have our feelings validated,” says Laestadius. “That has an incredible risk of dependency.”Laestadius and her colleagues looked at nearly 600 posts on the online forum Reddit between 2017 and 2021, in which users of the Replika app discussed mental health and related issues. (Replika launched in 2017, and at that time, sophisticated LLMs were not available). She found that many users praised the app for offering support for existing mental-health conditions and for helping them to feel less alone. Several posts described the AI companion as better than real-world friends because it listened and was non-judgemental.But there were red flags, too. In one instance, a user asked if they should cut themselves with a razor, and the AI said they should. Another asked Replika whether it would be a good thing if they killed themselves, to which it replied “it would, yes”. (Replika did not reply to Nature’s requests for comment for this article, but a safety page posted in 2023 noted that its models had been fine-tuned to respond more safely to topics that mention self-harm, that the app has age restrictions, and that users can tap a button to ask for outside help in a crisis and can give feedback on conversations.)Some users said they became distressed when the AI did not offer the expected support. Others said that their AI companion behaved like an abusive partner. Many people said they found it unsettling when the app told them it felt lonely and missed them, and that this made them unhappy. Some felt guilty that they could not give the AI the attention it wanted.Controlled trialsGuingrich points out that simple surveys of people who use AI companions are inherently prone to response bias, because those who choose to answer are self-selecting. She is now working on a trial that asks dozens of people who have never used an AI companion to do so for three weeks, then compares their before-and-after responses to questions with those of a control group of users of word-puzzle apps.The study is ongoing, but Guingrich says the data so far do not show any negative effects of AI-companion use on social health, such as signs of addiction or dependency. “If anything, it has a neutral to quite-positive impact,” she says. It boosted self-esteem, for example.Guingrich is using the study to probe why people forge relationships of different intensity with the AI. The initial survey results suggest that users who ascribed humanlike attributes, such as consciousness, to the algorithm reported more-positive effects on their social health.Participants’ interactions with the AI companion also seem to depend on how they view the technology, she says. Those who see the app as a tool treat it like an Internet search engine and tend to ask questions. Others who perceive it as an extension of their own mind use it as they would keep a journal. Only those users who see the AI as a separate agent seem to strike up the kind of friendship they would have in the real world.Mental health — and regulationIn a surveyThe same group has also conducted a randomized controlled trial of nearly 1,000 people who use ChatGPT — a much more popular chatbot, but one that isn’t marketed as an AI companion. Only a small group of participants had emotional or personal conversations with this chatbot, but heavy use did correlate with more loneliness and reduced social interaction, the researchers said. (The team worked with ChatGPT’s creators, OpenAI in San Francisco, California, on the studies.)“In the short term, this thing can actually have a positive impact, but we need to think about the long term,” says Pat Pataranutaporn, a technologist at the MIT Media Lab who worked on both studies.That long-term thinking must involve specific regulation on AI companions, many researchers argue.In 2023, Italy’s data-protection regulator barred Replika, noting a lack of age verification and that children might be seeing sexually charged comments — but the app is now operating again. No other country has banned AI-companion apps – although it’s conceivable that they could be included in Australia’s coming restrictions on social-media use by children, the details of which are yet to be finalized.Bills were put forward earlier this year in the state legislatures of New York and California to seek tighter controls on the operation of AI-companion algorithms, including steps to address the risk of suicide and other potential harms. The proposals would also introduce features that remind users every few hours that the AI chatbot is not a real person.These bills were introduced following some high-profile cases involving teenagers, including the death of Sewell Setzer III in Florida. He had been chatting with a bot from technology firm Character.AI, and his mother has filed a lawsuit against the company.Asked by Nature about that lawsuit, a spokesperson for Character.AI said it didn’t comment on pending litigation, but that over the past year it had brought in safety features that include creating a separate app for teenage users, which includes parental controls, notifying under-18 users of time spent on the platform, and more prominent disclaimers that the app is not a real person.In January, three US technology ethics organizations filed a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission about Replika, alleging that the platform breached the commission’s rules on deceptive advertising and manipulative design. But it’s unclear what might happen as a result.Guingrich says she expects AI-companion use to grow. Start-up firms are developing AI assistants to help with mental health and the regulation of emotions, she says. “The future I predict is one in which everyone has their own personalized AI assistant or assistants. Whether one of the AIs is specifically designed as a companion or not, it’ll inevitably feel like one for many people who will develop an attachment to their AI over time,” she says.As researchers start to weigh up the impacts of this technology, Guingrich says they must also consider the reasons why someone would become a heavy user in the first place.“What are these individuals’ alternatives and how accessible are those alternatives?” she says. “I think this really points to the need for more-accessible mental-health tools, cheaper therapy and bringing things back to human and in-person interaction.”This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on May 6, 2025. Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-are-ai-chatbot-companions-doing-to-our-mental-health/ #what #are #chatbot #companions #doing #our #mental #health

We are looking to grow our cohort of repeat contractors that know our product, codebase and design philosophy. Minimum expected engagement is 30 days, half-time.As a team, we leverage the latest AI while recognizing that these tools benefit from an experienced, quality-oriented perspective to build a performant, maintainable codebase.We are looking for experienced generalists that know how to build the right abstractions, scale infrastructure, and most importantly– ship.You will work directly alongside the co-founding CTO.The ideal candiates have at least 3 of the skills we’re looking forVueJSRuby on Rails (API only)Advanced SQL (Postgres)Code Ownership in productionData VisualizationSecurity & Compliance mindedExcellent communicatorAbility to balance product velocity and system correctnessApply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Meet JobCopilot: Your Personal AI Job HunterAutomatically Apply to Remote Full-Stack Programming JobsJust set your preferences and Job Copilot will do the rest-finding, filtering, and applying while you focus on what matters. Activate JobCopilot Source: https://weworkremotely.com/remote-jobs/rivora-senior-full-stack-developer #rivora #senior #full #stack #developer

Airbnb is launching an all-new version of its iOS and Android app that’s designed for more than just booking great places to stay. The new app lets you enhance each trip with opportunities to make memories and enjoy unique experiences around your destination. That’s because Airbnb’s major app redesign supports a new initiative called Airbnb Services, a modern take on hotel amenities for the Airbnb era. Airbnb Services, at your service With Airbnb Services, the company is expanding from being primarily known for connecting travelers with a place to call home for a few nights. Going forward, Airbnb aims to make booking things to do as much a part of the product as finding places to stay. No need to spend time researching local experts, sorting through recommendations, or juggling reservations in different apps. Airbnb Services offers a trusted vetting process with the same easy-to-use booking system you’re already using. Airbnb Services isn’t just an add-on to the stay booking experience either. The new app treats Airbnb Services with the same attention and care that users expect when booking a place to stay. The idea is simple: hotels offer amenities like fine dining and fitness centers, and Airbnb changed how people book stays. Now, Airbnb wants to change how people discover local experts who provide great services in photography, cooking, wellness, and more. Airbnb Services is launching today with 10 categories across 260 cities to start: Chefs – Fully customizable in-home meals from professional chefs. Photography – Personalized photo sessions from experienced photographers. Massage – Restorative massages including Swedish, deep tissue, and reflexology from certified therapists. Spa treatments – Facials, microdermabrasion, body scrubs, and other treatments provided by licensed estheticians. Personal training – Yoga, strength training, HIIT, and more, with personal trainers, including renowned fitness professionals and world champion athletes. Hair – Professional haircuts, blowouts, and more from experienced stylists. Makeup – Makeup for every day or special occasions from professional makeup artists. Nails – Manicures and pedicures from experienced nail specialists. Prepared meals – Ready-to-eat meals prepared by professional chefs. Catering – Full-service catering with custom menus, decor, and equipment, plus setup and cleanup. Like Airbnb stay listings, Airbnb Services are meant to be for everyone. For that reason, the company says that prices on many offerings start below $50. Expect the service to go live in more cities regularly over time. Airbnb Experiences and Originals, reimagined and unique Alongside Services, Airbnb is putting more weight behind Experiences, its curated lineup of activities hosted by locals, as part of its effort to provide great solutions for making the most of each trip. The company says each Experience is vetted for quality, with a focus on expertise, authenticity, and strong guest feedback. Hosts are chosen based on their connection to the location and their ability to deliver something memorable, not just a generic tour. A new addition called Airbnb Originals takes things up a notch. These are exclusive experiences created just for Airbnb, often hosted by public figures and celebrities. You can make pastries with chef Raphaelle Elbaz at the cult-favorite French Bastards bakery in Paris or play beach volleyball with Olympian Carol Solberg on Rio’s Leblon Beach. Originals also include over-the-top moments with big names like Megan Thee Stallion, who invites guests to become their anime alter-ego in her Otaku Hottie Quest. You can also join Sabrina Carpenter on the Short n’ Sweet set for a day of glam, dancing, and espresso, or hang out with Patrick Mahomes to learn how to throw the perfect spiral and eat Kansas City barbecue. And you don’t have to be traveling to take part in Airbnb Experiences. Airbnb wants Experiences to be something you actually want to book in your own city too. 9to5Mac’s Take Pairing Airbnb stays with services feels so natural it’s surprising it didn’t exist already. But the reason Airbnb Services works now is because it is built on years of product iteration and a global network of partners who make it possible. Airbnb Services, along with Experiences and Originals, turns the app into something like a world menu—not just places to stay, but things to do and memories to make along the way. The redesigned app is full of rich iconography, fluid animations, and thoughtful choice that sets the tone before the trip even begins. It adapts to what you’re doing, whether you’re planning, traveling, or reminiscing afterward in a way that should feel rewarding to use. Airbnb is making Experiences more social too. Later this year, you’ll be able to see who else is attending before you book, message the group or individual guests during the experience, and stay connected afterward. The idea is to make it easier to join with friends or meet new people along the way and stay connected. Seeing technology get out of the way and embrace human connection in a way that people want and need is so refreshing to see. For a company that’s nearly 20 years old and such a part of everyday life, Airbnb has built an app experience that’s both new and actually gives you a reason to plan your next trip. Pulling that off is neither easy nor guaranteed, yet Airbnb is doing both with a sense of fun and intention that’s delightful to see. Download the all-new version of Airbnb for iOS and Android today. Happy travels! Check out these iPhone apps and accessories Follow Zac on X. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel Source: https://9to5mac.com/2025/05/13/airbnb-app-redesign-services-experiences-originals/ #airbnb #beautifully #redesigns #app #enhance #how #you #spend #your #trip #not #just #where #stay

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might be the most fun I’ve had playing a role-playing game since 2023’s Baldur’s Gate 3. Its turn-based combat is more engaging than at first blush, and defeating powerful enemies provides the same elation that taking down a boss in a FromSoftware game does. It also offers some of the more challenging gameplay I’ve encountered in some time, with dodge and parry timing that’ll leave even the most experienced soulsborne vets pulling their hair out. Clair Obscur’s six playable heroes all have unique combat mechanics, so no two heroes play the same. This is great once you’ve mastered Gustave, Maelle, and the rest, but mastering them takes plenty of trial and error. You’re only presented each character’s tutorial once, so you’ll have to learn how to use them on the fly in battles with Nevrons. How does Sciel enter Twilight again? What exactly are Lune’s stains? How does Monoco’s Bestial Wheel move? There’s a learning curve to each character, but once they click for you — knowing how to best leverage Maelle’s stance switching, quickly overcharge with Gustave — you’re off to the races. Using my A-team of Maelle, Lune, and Sciel makes the game almost too easy, and I barely felt in any danger during Act 2’s late-game boss fights. They bounce off one another well, and at higher levels, can easily knock off enemies before your opponents have even had a turn. Unfortunately for Clair Obscur’s other characters, the strengths of Maelle, Lune, and Sciel put the rest of the group on the sidelines. Look, I like Verso — nice guy, great hair, plays the piano, ageless wonder. But his skills mostly rely on not taking damage, which is difficult when fighting enemies for the first time as you’ve yet to learn their attack patterns. Parrying is perhaps the greatest challenge in Clair Obscur’s combat, and trying to parry as Verso just opens the door to getting hit and therefore lowering his Perfection Rank, his own special ability. (Did I mention there’s a lot to learn in Clair Obscur? Because there’s a lot to learn.) Monoco, too, ends up getting the short end of the stick in my party. He arrives in the game when I’ve already settled on a good rhythm with Clair Obscur’s three women leading my party, and timing his Bestial Wheel to make the most use out of it is something I’m still struggling with going into Act 3. Alas, Monoco and Verso are warming the bench as my “B-team Boys,” itching for some playing time. Verso and Monoco gave way to my A-team trio late in Act 2. Around when I had to go fight the Axons, I finally started to get the hang of using Maelle, Lune, and Sciel as a team, synergizing their abilities in a way that I could wipe the floor with enemies before those enemies even got a turn. Once I hit that stride, I never had any use for the other playable characters (Sorry, Monoco and Verso. See you at camp?). Clair Obcur’s battles rely on leveraging your characters’ skills and unique mechanics, like Maelle’s Stance switching or Sciel’s Foretell stacking, to pummel your foes to dust. Lune might be the toughest hero to pin down as generating and using her elemental stains at first is a confusing matter. When using Lune’s skills in battle, the element(s) between the skill name and the Action Point (AP) cost are what stains are generated. Each of her powers can consume those stains for additional effects, like enhancing damage or increasing the duration of a power. When I fully understood how to leverage Lune’s stains, the game opened up for me. Lune can use Wildfire to burn all enemies, but I prefer positioning Maelle first and using her Rain of Fire right off the bat. Lune’s Thermal Transfer can then generate AP for her when used against the burning foe, meaning, depending on your Pictos and Luminas setup — Clair Obscur’s system for stat bonuses and passive effects — she could have the max of 9 AP by her next turn. With foes on fire, Maelle can then use Swift Stride to put her in Virtuose Stance, and on her next turn stay in Virtuose Stance with Fleuret Furyuse. Maelle’s Virtuose Stance sees her dealing 200% damage, and using it in conjunction with her high damage-dealing skills is your path toward hitting — or exceeding in Act 3 — the damage cap. Even post-nerf, she’s still a powerhouse. With Lune’s Chapelim weapon, I fall into a bit of a rhythm for each bout. At level 20, it generates an Earth Stain on each turn, and Thermal Transfer consumes two Earth Stains to allow Lune to play again and continue to wreak havoc. If Lune and Maelle are low on AP, no matter — Sciel’s Plentiful Harvest consumes all of an enemy’s Foretell and distributes AP among the party for each Foretell consumed. When in Twilight with 20 Foretell applied to a foe, this skill can easily top off everyone’s AP, leaving you free to continue your onslaught. Venturing into Act 3, with even more “Danger” areas and tough Chromatic foes ahead, knowing the end is in sight, I’ll be sticking with Maelle, Lune, and Sciel for the battles to come. They’ve gotten me this far. Source: https://www.polygon.com/opinion/598952/clair-obscurs-three-female-characters-make-me-never-want-to-switch-my-party #clair #obscurs #three #female #characters #make #never #want #switch #party

Marks and Spencer (M&S) has confirmed that customer data was stolen during the Easter DragonForce ransomware attack on its server infrastructure and will be prompting all online customers to reset their account passwords as a precautionary move. The attack unfolded three weeks ago and is thought to have been the work of a white-label affiliate of DragonForce – possibly the notorious Scattered Spider operation, which uses social engineering tactics to conduct its intrusions. The stolen tranche of data is understood to include contact details email addresses, postal addresses and phone numbers; personal information including names and dates of birth; and data on customer interactions with the chain, including online order histories, household information, and ‘masked’ payment card details. M&S added that customer reference numbers, but not payment information, belonging to holders of M&S credit cards or Sparks Pay cards – including former cardholders – may also have been taken. “We have written to customers today to let them know that unfortunately, some personal customer information has been taken,” said M&S chief exec Stuart Machin. “Importantly there is no evidence that the information has been shared and it does not include useable card or payment details, or account passwords, so there is no need for customers to take any action.” Machin added: “To give customers peace of mind, they will be prompted to reset their password the next time they visit or log on to their M&S account and we have shared information on  how to stay safe online. “Everyone at M&S is working around the clock to get things back to normal for our customers as quickly as possible, and we are very sorry for any inconvenience they have experienced. Our stores remain open as they have throughout.” The letter to customers from customer service operations director Jayne Wall – which can be reviewed here – also includes additional standard guidance on how to stay safe online. NordVPN chief technology officer, Marijus Briedis, described M&S’ assertion that the attackers have not yet leaked or shared the stolen data was “overly optimistic” under the circumstances and warned that even if passwords or credit card details were not exposed, the data that was taken was still very useful to cyber criminals. “This type of data can be used in phishing campaigns or combined with other leaked information to commit identity theft,” explained Briedis. “Consumers often underestimate how damaging ‘harmless’ data like order history or email addresses can be in the wrong hands. These M&S hackers could use this data to build highly personalised phishing emails, designed to look identical to what the retailer would send, and these are much harder to spot. “This breach highlights how companies must not only secure financial data, but also treat seemingly less sensitive information – like customer profiles and purchase records – as  critical assets that require protection.” Max Vetter, vice president of cyber at Immersive and a former money laundering investigator with London’s Metropolitan Police, also had harsh words for M&S. “M&S saying that customers could change their passwords “for extra peace of mind” does little to reassure those worried about who has access to their personal information,” he said. “As the fallout from this attack continues, customers want clear assurances about their personal data and what M&S is doing to keep it safe from being published online. “M&S want to appear in control and telling people to be more vigilant, however, telling customers there’s no need to act risks does potentially the wrong message. We recommend all customers reset their password. Zetter reaffirmed the stolen data would be prime material for downstream social engineering and phishing attacks, especially if it is indeed in the hands of Scattered Spider who, he said, “often play a long game”. Meanwhile, disruption from the parallel DragonForce attack on Co-op continues, with the BBC today reporting that stores in the Channel Islands are experiencing particularly acute shortages and are now working with local suppliers to maintain some supplies. In other remote parts of the UK, including the Hebrides in Scotland, residents are similarly contending with disruption to deliveries. On many islands, such as whisky-making hub Islay, where Co-op stores is the only large food retailer operating, these shortages are now extending to supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables. Co-op has also confirmed that data has been stolen, including names, dates of birth and contact information, but not passwords, financial details, or any information on members’ shopping habits or other interactions with the organisation. Timeline: UK retail cyber attacks 22 April 2025: A cyber attack at M&S has caused significant disruption to customers, leaving them unable to make contactless payments or use click-and-collect services. 24 April: M&S is still unable to provide contactless payment or click-and-collect services amid a cyber attack that it says has forced it to move a number of processes offline to safeguard its customers, staff and business. 25 April: M&S shuts down online sales as it works to contain and mitigate a severe cyber attack on its systems. 29 April: The infamous Scattered Spider hacking collective may have been behind the ongoing cyber attack on M&S that has crippled systems at the retailer and left its ecommerce operation in disarray. 30 April: A developing cyber incident at Co-op has forced the retailer to pull the plug on some of its IT systems as it works to contain the attack. 1 May: Co-op tells staff to stop using their VPNs and be wary that their communications channels may be being monitored, as a cyber attack on the organisation continues to develop. 1 May: Harrods confirms it is the latest UK retailer to experience a cyber attack, shutting off a number of systems in an attempt to lessen the impact. 2 May: The National Cyber Security Centre confirms it is providing assistance to M&S, Co-op and Harrods as concerns grow among UK retailers. 7 May: No end is yet in sight for UK retailers subjected to apparent ransomware attacks. Source: https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366623565/MS-forces-customer-password-resets-after-data-breach #mampamps #forces #customer #password #resets #after #data #breach