Verso is happy taking back seat in your Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 party. He provides damage buffs to your team and then helps your primary damage-dealer quickly rout the enemy. His playstyle is reminiscent of Capcom’s Devil May Cry series, since you must rack up damage and dodges across multiple turns to increase your rank (called Perfection in Expedition 33) from D to S — though if you get hit, Verso’s rank will drop. The higher his rank, the better he performs in battle. As a result, he’s a high-risk, high-reward party member. If you’re interested in the best for your mysterious well-maned swordsman, this Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 guide will break down the best Verso build, including his best weapons, attributes, Pictos, and skills to quickly achieve S rank. Best Verso build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Verso is meant to play second fiddle to one of your stronger DPS characters in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Whether you prefer Sciel or Maelle, Verso perfectly accompanies them by buffing their high damage output. He’s at his best when paired with a strong DPS unit. Verso demands mastery of Expedition 33’s defensive mechanics, though. As you build him up to his peak strength, you must rely on well-timed parries and dodges to increase and maintain your Perfection rank. Once you unlock Verso’s best weapon, which allows you to start battles in S Rank, you must still be able to dodge and parry to maintain that rank. The best Verso build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is: Attributes: Agility and Luck Weapon: Chevalam Skills: Blitz, Phantom Stars, Follow Up, Paradigm Shift, Defiant Strike, and Ascending Assault Pictos: Augmented Counter I, Perilous Parry, and Confident Fighter Verso’s best attributes are Agility and Luck, similar to other DPS units. He’s best used when you can maximize how frequently he plays. From the moment you Verso joins your party in Act 2, you’ll want to prioritize Agility. In Act 2, his best weapon is the Gaulteram, for its potent level 4 passive ability, which prevents you from dropping down in Perfection rank when getting hit. This weapon is so good for those learning Verso’s playstyle, but in Act 3 gets overshadowed by Chevalam, which starts you out at max Perfection Rank. Below, we’ll explain in more detail why this is the best Verso build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Best attributes for Verso No matter where you are in the game, the main attribute you should prioritize for Verso is Agility. Agility grants him more turns in combat as well as provides extra damage, as both of his best weapons scale with it. Verso offers a ton of flexibility with leveling because, once you’ve maxed out his Agility, you’re more or less free to allocate his points however you see fit. We’d recommend Luck as the best choice, though, because of boost to your critical hit chance and that fact that it scales with the Chevalam, but you can also opt for more Vitality for survivability. Best weapon for Verso The best weapon for Verso is, without a doubt, the Chevalam. However, you won’t get the full benefit of the weapon unless you have a solid handle on parrying and dodging. Verso’s best weapon in Act 2, the Gaulteram, is a good substitute if you don’t have the timing down. You can find the Chevalam by defeating the Chromatic Gold Chevaliere boss. You can only access this boss by completing the sword puzzles in the Crimson Forest, making it missable. You can find the Gaulteram in the overworld too as the enemy that drops it is right next to the Stone Wave Cliffs entrance. (Technically, the Gaulteram is missable too, but if you fight everything you see, you’ve probably stumbled upon it.) The Chevalam offering S rank at the start of combat is invaluable, but the downside is that you can’t be healed or defended with shields. This is why you must be great at parrying — mess up your defense moves and you could die pretty quickly. The weapon’s highest-level passive ability also applies Rush on reaching S rank, allowing for a boost to Verso’s Agility as soon as battle starts. Managing Perfection rank is key here, and while the Gaulteram is suitable for practice once you’ve mastered Verso, it’s best to graduate to the Chevalam when you’re comfortable. Best Pictos and Luminas for Verso Verso thrives with Pictos that work in tandem with his best attributes, Agility and Luck. It is also preferred that his chosen Pictos offer strong Passives to help set up himself and the rest of his team. The best Pictos in his case are Augmented Counter I, Perilous Parry, and Confident Fighter. Below are the detailed descriptions of what these Pictos do and the stats they grant bonuses to. Augmented Counter I — Health and Crit Rate. 25% increased Counterattack damage. Perilous Parry — Speed and Crit Rate. +1 AP on Parry, but damage received is doubled. Confident Fighter — Health and Crit Rate. 30% increased damage, but can’t be Healed. These Pictos, along with Verso’s best weapon, the Chevalam, set up a playstyle that rewards masterful parries. This turns Verso into a glass cannon who that is meant to support your primary attacker, but with the right Luminas, you can get Verso dealing high damage himself. We’d recommend using the following Luminas, depending on how many Lumina Points you have. Augmented First Strike Auto Rush Breaking Counter Charging Tint Confident Critical Burn Dead Energy II Marking Shots Double Mark Powerful on Shell Empowering Parry Energising Jump Energising Start II Glass Canon Inverted Affinity Painted Power Solidifying Shell On Rush Energising Shots Best skills for Verso The best skills for Verso are the following: Blitz: Deals low single target Physical damage. 1 hit. Plays a second time. Kills non-boss enemies with less than 10% Health. B Rank: Increased damage. Phantom Stars: Deals extreme Light damage to all enemies. 5 hits. Can Break. S Rank: Costs 5 AP. Follow Up: Deals medium single target Light damage. 1 hit. Damage increased for each Free Aim shot this turn, up to 10 times. S Rank: Costs 2 AP. Paradigm Shift: Deals low Physical single target damage and gives 1-3 AP back. 3 hits. C Rank: +1 AP. Defiant Strike: Deals high single target Physical damage that applies Mark. 2 Hits. Costs 30% of current Health. B Rank: Increased damage. Ascending Assault: Deals low single target damage. 1 hit. Uses weapon’s element. Increased damage at each cast. S Rank: Costs 2 AP. Verso’s skills revolve around reaching S rank as quickly as possible. If you’re using the Chevalam, you can already max out Verso’s damage output. Phantom Stars is an excellent move against multiple enemies, but against bosses or a single strong enemy unit, Ascending Assault is the way to go. Defiant Strike is suitable for applying marks — which can then help the rest of your party deal extra damage — and Follow Up is a great skill, as it deals more damage if you spam your free aim shots before using it. This skill, partnered with Luminas like Marking Shots, can be used to additionally set up party members who come after, turning it into a valuable, damaging, and supportive tool. For more Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 build guides, check out our best builds for Lune, Maelle, Sciel, and Monoco.

A cataclysmic asteroid collision may not sound like the starting place for life. But 66 million years ago, the Chicxulub impactor that wiped out the dinosaurs and much of the Cretaceous period’s fauna also kick-started a hydrothermal system that became a hotbed for life to recover in the local area. That’s the finding from a recent paper published in Nature Communications. Chicxulub Impact and Rapid RecoveryThe impact itself was truly a catastrophe, says Philippe Claeys, Chair of the Large Research Group AMGC at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and a co-author on the paper. When the asteroid – estimated at 10 to 15 kilometers [about 6 miles to 9 miles] in diameter – slammed into the earth it sent vast amounts of energy into the atmosphere, resulting in a massive cloud plume that lead to the collapse of photosynthesis, large-scale cooling, and the demise of up to 70 percent of life on earth, including the dinosaurs.  That extended to the oceans. “At least for 500,000 years, there's good evidence to show that the world's oceans were not functioning exactly as modern or Cretaceous oceans were,” Claeys says.Past research found that within decades, the waters around the site recovered quickly. This recent paper suggests that it is because the massive impact and the resultant melt sheet created a hydrothermal system that funneled hot water and nutrients to the surrounding area, enabling this surprisingly quick comeback.“What is interesting in this new paper is that we teamed up with geochemists, crater specialists, and micropalaeontologists to look at the effect on the biosphere, on the micro plankton within the region surrounding the crater in the Gulf of Mexico,” Claeys says. “The conclusion, that was a little bit surprising, is that the recovery of life seems to be accelerated compared to the rest of the oceans.”Read More: Two Asteroids May Have Wiped Out The DinosaursHydrothermal System Funneled Nutrients That multi-disciplinary team traced levels of osmium – an element found in asteroids like the Chicxulub impactor – in sediments taken from core samples in the crater. Sean Gulick, a research professor at The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences, and a co-author on the study, was part of a 2016 drill team that took core samples from the crater. These samples were vital to these recent findings.He explains that in this instance, osmium acts as a “tracer for all sorts of nutrients that might be enriching the oceans above.” That showed that the hydrothermal system following the collision was likely funneling nutrients to the ocean above for at least 700,000 years.“We do know that an asteroid impact with all of this energy, if it's large enough, can cause a mass extinction event globally, because of all the atmospheric effects,” Gulick says. “But it also turns out to be beneficial to life, at least locally.”Even though the Chicxulub impact resulted in a “kiss of death for dinosaurs,” it also acted as a “cradle for life,” Gulick says. Possibility of Life on Other Planets Their research also showed that during the time the hydrothermal system functioned, the type of marine life mainly comprised of plankton species adapted to high-nutrient environments. This shifted to species that thrive in low-nutrient environments over time.In Gulick’s view, their findings open up the possibility of a mechanism to kick-start life on other planets. “Everything out there gets smacked with objects flying around. From the original creation of the planets and from collisions in the asteroid belt and everything else,” Gulick says. “Every one of those planets has a way to have their surface changed by impact cratering that then reorganizes things, brings things to the surface, and adds heat.”  As long as there are fluids or ice that could result in a hydrothermal system, Gulick adds. “So, if this is a viable mechanism to get life going, then that means it's entirely possible to have life on a lot of different planets.”Read More: Did a Dust Plume Kill the Dinosaurs?Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this articleUniversity of Texas Institute of Geophysics. Life Recovered Rapidly at Site of Dino-Killing Asteroid. A Hydrothermal System May Have Helped.University of Texas Geosciences. Drilling into Dino Doomsday Sean Mowbray is a freelance writer based in Scotland. He covers the environment, archaeology, and general science topics. His work has also appeared in outlets such as Mongabay, New Scientist, Hakai Magazine, Ancient History Magazine, and others.

Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, NewsMay 23, 20252 Min ReadImage via Game DeveloperRoblox has appointed its first head of parental advocacy to help families "navigate the digital world."Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov has stepped into the role and joins Roblox from Lego Group, where she served as senior corporate counsel on digital gaming, the metaverse, and child safety.It's a notable move for the company, which oversees one of the most popular user generated content platforms in the world.Roblox has repeatedly been accused of failing to deploy adequate protections for younger players. Last year, Bloomberg published an extensive report based on testimonies from 20 current and former Roblox employees who called out the company for allegedly failing to curb predatory behaviour.Since then, Roblox has rolled out a number of new safety measures—including the ability for parents to moderate their children's friends list and block specific experiences on the platform.New Roblox hire says company is committed to "supporting parents with expert guidance"Discussing its new hire, Roblox said Milovidov will focus on "building partnerships and programs to help equip parents with the tools to help their families navigate Roblox and the digital world.""I am excited to join Roblox to address the evolving challenges families face in today’s digital landscape," added Dr. Milovidov in a blog post.Related:"It is my personal mission to give parents the confidence and skills to raise children who thrive online while using technology safely and responsibly—today and tomorrow. This role underscores Roblox's commitment to supporting parents with expert guidance, innovative tools, and community resources focused on child safety and family well-being."Roblox acknowledged there has been an "intense global discussion" around digital child safety in recent years, and claimed keeping children safe remains a "top priority.""Hiring Dr. Milovidov for this newly created role is part of our efforts to empower families to help children use technology safely and responsibly," added the company.Despite those assertions, Roblox CEO and co-founder Dave Baszucki recently suggested that concerned parents should simply keep their children off the platform.Speaking to BBC News in March about the widely-reported safety issues, Baszucki said the company had to trust parents to "make their own decisions.""My first message would be, if you're not comfortable, don't let your kids be on Roblox," he said at the time. "That sounds a little counter-intuitive, but I would always trust parents to make their own decisions."Related:Read more about:RobloxAbout the AuthorChris KerrSenior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Mount Holly, Blue PrinceThis year’s surprise hit Blue Prince is a proper video game wonder. It’s an architectural puzzler in which you explore a transforming mansion left to you by an eccentric relative. The place is filled with secrets, and whenever you reach a door you get to pick the room on the other side from a handful of options. The whole game is a rumination on houses and how we live in them. Nostalgic and melancholic, it feels designed to make us look harder at what surrounds us.The Edison mansion, Maniac Mansion Photograph: Lucasfilm GamesThis Addams’-style Queen Anne with clapboard facades and dark windows is a classic haunted house, reportedly inspired by the Skywalker Ranch. The great twist of this early LucasArts adventure is that all kinds of spooky things are happening, but the fiends and monsters you meet are often surprisingly charming – the odd hamster-in-a-microwave incident aside. Maybe not a great place to live, but these guys would make memorable neighbours.Spencer mansion, Resident Evil Photograph: CapcomNestled amid the foreboding Arklay mountains outside Raccoon City, the Spencer mansion is what would have happened if the murderer from the Saw movies had become an architect. This vast country pile in the Second Empire style is lusciously adorned with oil paintings, antique furniture and hidden rooms. However, any potential buyers should know it’s essentially a vast trap, filled with puzzles and monsters, designed to kill anyone wanting to investigate the massive bio-research facility beneath it.Finch house, What Remains of Edith Finch Photograph: Giant SparrowBased on Goose Creek Tower in Alaska, Finch house is a monument to the doomed family who once lived there, which explains why the bedrooms are sealed off like museum exhibits. Floors are piled up haphazardly and navigating the interior can feel like moving through the transformations of a pop-up book. Living here would be fascinating, but you’d need good joints, what with all the stairs. On the plus side, the bookcases are filled with works such as Gravity’s Rainbow, Slaughterhouse-Five and House of Leaves, so you’d get to catch up on your postmodernist reading.The mansion, Jet Set Willy Photograph: YouTubeOne of the great video-game homes, this strange mansion is left in disarray after an almighty booze-up. The rooms feel very much like a lurid hangover, incorporating stomping boots, chomping toilet seats and at one point, an entire tree. What makes this classic platformer so haunting is the juxtaposition of domesticity and surreal horror. The bedroom is out of bounds and the refrigerator threatens to extend for miles. Oh, and there’s an entrance to Hades on the floorplan.Island cottage, Animal Crossing: New Horizons Photograph: NintendoNintendo’s dreamy deconstruction of capitalism is so close to being a doll’s house for adults that it makes sense that you get your own home to decorate. Beyond choosing the wallpaper and adding just the right indoor plants, you also have an option to fill the air with recordings of music performed by a local dog. This sounds childlike, but the compulsion to refine layouts feels like a very middle-aged kind of obsession, and in one of many brutal lunges at realism, you don’t even get to enter your house without first being handcuffed to a gigantic mortgage.Snowpeak ruins, Zelda: Twilight Princess Photograph: NintendoWhat’s your favourite Zelda dungeon? Allow us to make the case for Snowpeak ruins, from the slightly under-loved Twilight Princess. There have been better puzzles in Zelda, and better rewards for beating a boss, but this cosy getaway high in the mountains is easily the most warmly domestic space in the entire series. It’s not just down to the warmth radiating from the many hearths or the juxtaposition to the icy chill outside. It’s the presence of two gentle Yetis, wandering around despite your dramatic arrival, tending to bubbling pots of stew.Croft Manor, Tomb Raider Photograph: Square EnixLara Croft’s country house may have started as a place for the games to tuck away a tutorial section, but the Manor quickly evolved into a vital part of the series’ appeal. Croft isn’t just gymnastic and deadly, she’s absolutely minted. Her house is filled with the strangely proportioned rooms you often got when PS1 games ventured indoors, and there’s often a hedge maze alongside a gymnasium. Croft has a room just for her harpsichord! And she has a butler who’s happy to wearily plod along behind her and endure an eternity locked in the freezer.Luigi’s Mansion Photograph: NintendoLuigi’s Mansion was the first game to give either one of Nintendo’s plumbers much in the way of a personality. It’s tempting to argue that’s because Luigi’s thrown in among ordinary domestic clutter here, rather than being let loose to jump and dance through worlds of colourful whimsy. The mansion in question may be filled with ghosts, but it’s also filled with bookshelves, hallway carpeting, light fixtures and a decent-sized kitchen. It’s the perfect place for the ever-roving Marioverse to settle down for a moment and offer a sustained depiction of a single place.The lighthouse, Beyond Good and Evil Photograph: MobygamesJade is a photojournalist rather than a soldier, exploring a fantasy world that’s based on Europe rather than the US or Japan. No wonder, then, that instead of a mansion or hi-tech HQ, she gets to live in a lighthouse on the misty shores of a quiet water world. The lighthouse doubles as a refuge and orphanage, and it’s a delight to spot the little details the designers have included, whether it’s the chummy mess in the living spaces, or the crayon drawings on the woodwork.Botany Manor Photograph: Whitethorn GamesPlayers are drawn to Botany Manor by the puzzles, which revolve around uncovering the conditions required to allow a series of flowers to grow and thrive. But the space itself is arguably the thing that draws everyone back until the game is complete. Here is a version of early 20th-century English elegance pitched somewhere between the worlds of Jeeves and Flora Poste. The colours and sense of expectant stillness, meanwhile, could come from a piece of Clarice Cliff Bizarre Ware pottery.The Carnovasch Estate, Phantasmagoria Photograph: SierraWhen novelist Adrienne Delaney moves into this remote New England property seeking inspiration, she loves the giant fireplaces, labyrinthine corridors and authentic gothic chapel but isn’t so keen on the presence of a wife-murdering demon intent on decapitating, stabbing or squashing residents to death. Heavily inspired by The Shining and the works of Edgar Allen Poe, adventure designer Roberta Williams built this mansion to be the ultimate gore-splattered horror house. Viewing recommended.

Senior Animator – Temp (SFD / Cinematics)Blizzard EntertainmentSanta Monica California 90405 United States of America2 hours agoApplyTeam Name:CinematicsJob Title:Senior Animator – Temp (SFD / Cinematics)Requisition ID:R025214Job Description:Blizzard Entertainment is looking for a dedicated 3D animator to assist our Cinematics team in crafting the next generation of Epic animated films.What You Bring to the TablePriorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:The cinematic animator will be skilled at animating characters at a level that lives up to the ever-increasing Blizzard Entertainment standard of quality. The ideal candidate has a passion for animation and film making, with experience animating a diverse array of characters and creatures in different styles, from cartoony to realistic and anywhere in-between. A solid grasp of body mechanics and character acting with a mastery of the 12 principles of animation are critical. You must enjoy working on a highly collaborative team of peers as passionate about making phenomenal movies and games as we are. Blizzard Entertainment offers a fun, creative, and technically challenging environment with excellent compensation.This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA. However, we understand each person’s circumstances may be unique and will work with you to explore other possible options, including remote work arrangements.This is roughly a 5-month temporary position.Minimum RequirementsExperience6+ years' experience in game development, television, or film industry using Maya or equivalent 3D programExperience working with Directors, Animation Supervisors and Leads developing, defining, and maintaining high-end cinematic animationsKnowledge & SkillsA demo reel demonstrating high quality hand-keyed animations through solid body mechanics and engaging performancesA solid grasp of body mechanics and character acting with a mastery of the 12 principles of animation are essentialKey AttributesPassion for film, animation, and video gamesSelf-motivation, good communication skills, and a great team-player attitudeAssist in supporting and evolving the Cinematics team with constructive feedback both technically and artisticallyExtra PointsArtistic skills: storyboarding, gesture drawing, 2D animation, compositionTechnical skills: rigging, scripting, and understanding of pipelinePhysical skills: acting, martial arts, and choreographyFilm making skills: cinematography, pre-visualization, editing, and story writingUnderstanding of FX, particles, cloth, and hair as they contribute to a character’s performance and other facets of both 2D and 3D animation is essentialYour PlatformBest known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.Our WorldActivision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty ®, World of Warcraft® , Overwatch ®, Diablo ®, Candy Crush ™ and Bubble Witch ™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.RewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $38.85 - $71.83 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

Sloths once came in a variety of sizes and lived in multiple settings in many parts of the world. A study in the journal Science examined sloth evolution over the past 35 million years, investigated multiple factors driving their growth and expansion throughout the world, and concluded that human hunting starting around 15,000 years ago drove their dramatic decline.Today, only six species within two genera remain. All are relatively small (especially compared to their largest ancestors) tree-dwellers that primarily live in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America.“These species are a tiny remnant of a once diverse American clade that was mostly made up of large-bodied species,” according to an editorial summary that accompanied the paper. Ancient Sloths Were Once WidespreadThat’s a huge contrast to sloth life during the late Cenozoic. During that period, more than 100 genera of sloths lived in a wide range of habitats and a variety of sizes, topping out at nearly 20 feet tall and weighing several tons.To investigate this diversity — and to track where, when, and why it collapsed — a team of scientists examined fossil measurements, DNA and protein sequences, and advanced evolutionary modeling. In doing so, they reconstructed sloth evolutionary history across 67 genera. They then investigated whether evolutionary changes in size were linked to habitat, diet, climate, predation, or other ecological pressures.Habitat Drove Sloth SizeThe findings show that habitat appeared to be a major driver in shaping their body size evolution. The earliest sloths were large and grazed on the ground. Some species adapted to tree dwelling and developed smaller body sizes. However shifts in both sloth size and dwelling didn’t happen in a straight line. The species size grew or shrunk as the climate warmed and cooled, and as ecosystems shifted from grasslands to woodlands.The species thrived for tens of millions of years, exhibiting the most variety in body sizes in the Pleistocene, which began about 2.6 million years ago.Ancient Humans Caused Dramatic DeclineThen, starting about 15,000 years ago, the creature experienced “a sudden and dramatic decline,” according to a press release.The researchers report that decline doesn’t mesh with any major known climate events. "Size disparity increased during the late Cenozoic climatic cooling, but paleoclimatic changes do not explain the rapid extinction of ground sloths that started approximately 15,000 years ago,” according to the paper. However, it does coincide with the expansion of humans into the Americas. The likely conclusion is that human hunting drove the extinction of the larger, ground-based sloths, while the smaller ones related to today’s creatures escaped by taking to the trees.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.

You might not know it based on my scathing recaps of The Last of Us’ second season, but I love this series. I love the moral conundrums it presents, the violent grief it depicts, and the games’ excellent writing that poignantly brings all of those complicated emotions to the surface. What I don’t like is listening to pretty much any of the creative team talk about the series, especially when it comes to weighing in on decade-long discourse around its complex storylines. Even when I agree with series director Neil Druckmann’s interpretation of something, we’d all rather he just let bad readings fester in the corners of the internet than tell us exactly what something means. Nevertheless, he continues to do so in interviews.Suggested ReadingThe Week In Games: Pokémon With Guns And More New Releases Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingThe Week In Games: Pokémon With Guns And More New Releases Share SubtitlesOffEnglishIn a discussion with the Sacred Symbols podcast (thanks, IGN), Druckmann talked about the end of The Last of Us Part I, which was adapted for television in the HBO show’s first season. In this climactic moment, Joel—a smuggler turned surrogate father to Ellie, the young girl immune to a fungal infection that has leveled the series’ post-apocalyptic world—massacres members of a revolutionary group called the Fireflies who sought to use Ellie’s immunity to create a vaccine. They could potentially have saved millions of lives and helped society rebuild again after decades of ruin. But after months of traveling across the United States to reach the group’s base in Salt Lake City, Joel wasn’t willing to lose Ellie for something as small as the possibility of a world-saving vaccine. After the player fights their way through the facility and escapes with Ellie, Joel lies to her about what happened, and they live happily ever after(?) in Jackson, Wyoming…until the sequel, at least.It’s a nuanced situation, and ever since The Last of Us launched in 2013, fans have debated the ethics of pretty much every character in this finale. However, one part of the discussion that has persisted is the question of whether or not the Fireflies would have been able to successfully create a cure or vaccine in the first place. This is the post-apocalypse. They’ve got one surgeon here who claims to be able to do the job, and even if they managed to concoct a vaccine, how would they distribute it? All of that is an interesting logistical discussion, but some fans have taken that talking point a step further and tried to claim the potential success of the plan was ever part of Joel’s motivations. It’s very obvious that the man cares about Ellie’s life above all else, and didn’t stop to weigh up the vagueries of vaccine efficacy in a zombie apocalypse I’ve always read these attempts to explain away Joel’s guilt as cope, and the idea that he had a firm confidence that the Fireflies’ attempts would fail as an effort to wash away the reality of Joel’s actions.Yet now, Druckmann has confirmed that it was always the intention for the group’s medical team to be able to create the cure, essentially nuking that talking point. Am I upset that we can now put this obviously desperate theory to bed? No. Do I wish Druckmann would stop giving definitive answers to a story that has thrived in ambiguity and interpretation? Absolutely.“Our intent was yes, they could [make a cure],” Druckmann said. “Now, is our science a little shaky that now people are now questioning it? Sure. Our science is a little shaky and people are now questioning it. I can’t say anything. I can say our intent was that they would have made a cure. That makes the most interesting philosophical question for what Joel does.”Sure, it’s the most interesting interpretation because it actually interrogates everything you know about Joel based on how he presents. Giving him an out is just refusing to engage with the text. Do you want to debate if the Fireflies were equipped to save the world with a vaccine? That’s an entirely separate discussion from Joel’s motivations. But even so, we don’t need every detail spelt out. Maybe it’s because Druckmann is being constantly interviewed about this series after two games, more remasters than I care to count, and two seasons of television, but the more we talk to this dude (and HBO series showrunner Craig Mazin) and ask him to tell us what it all meant, the less interesting the story can be. I don’t want to know if Druckmann thinks Joel was right. I don’t need the author to tell me what I’m supposed to feel. It’s a major reason why the show bothers me so much, because it loves to tell you what lessons you’re supposed to learn, rather than giving you a second to consider what you feel about it.I wish we lived in a world where The Last of Us’ marketing got to be as bold as the games. Just let it speak for itself..

Senior Animator – Temp (SFD / Cinematics)Blizzard EntertainmentTrenton New Jersey 08601 United States of America28 minutes agoApplyTeam Name:CinematicsJob Title:Senior Animator – Temp (SFD / Cinematics)Requisition ID:R025216Job Description:Blizzard Entertainment is looking for a dedicated 3D animator to assist our Cinematics team in crafting the next generation of Epic animated films.What You Bring to the TablePriorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:The cinematic animator will be skilled at animating characters at a level that lives up to the ever-increasing Blizzard Entertainment standard of quality. The ideal candidate has a passion for animation and film making, with experience animating a diverse array of characters and creatures in different styles, from cartoony to realistic and anywhere in-between. A solid grasp of body mechanics and character acting with a mastery of the 12 principles of animation are critical. You must enjoy working on a highly collaborative team of peers as passionate about making phenomenal movies and games as we are. Blizzard Entertainment offers a fun, creative, and technically challenging environment with excellent compensation.This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA. However, we understand each person’s circumstances may be unique and will work with you to explore other possible options, including remote work arrangements.This is roughly a 5-month temporary position.Minimum RequirementsExperience6+ years' experience in game development, television, or film industry using Maya or equivalent 3D programExperience working with Directors, Animation Supervisors and Leads developing, defining, and maintaining high-end cinematic animationsKnowledge & SkillsA demo reel demonstrating high quality hand-keyed animations through solid body mechanics and engaging performancesA solid grasp of body mechanics and character acting with a mastery of the 12 principles of animation are essentialKey AttributesPassion for film, animation, and video gamesSelf-motivation, good communication skills, and a great team-player attitudeAssist in supporting and evolving the Cinematics team with constructive feedback both technically and artisticallyExtra PointsArtistic skills: storyboarding, gesture drawing, 2D animation, compositionTechnical skills: rigging, scripting, and understanding of pipelinePhysical skills: acting, martial arts, and choreographyFilm making skills: cinematography, pre-visualization, editing, and story writingUnderstanding of FX, particles, cloth, and hair as they contribute to a character’s performance and other facets of both 2D and 3D animation is essentialYour PlatformBest known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.Our WorldActivision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty ®, World of Warcraft® , Overwatch ®, Diablo ®, Candy Crush ™ and Bubble Witch ™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.RewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $38.85 - $71.83 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

By Natalia Mesa Published May 23, 2025 | Comments (0) | Adult Cooper’s hawk dispatching a house sparrow. © Vladimir Dinets Birds continue to be amazing. Crows can use tools and hold grudges against specific people. Magpies can recognize themselves in mirrors. And now, hawks are using traffic signals to hunt down prey, according to a study published today in the journal Frontiers in Ethology.  The story starts with Vladimir Dinets, a zoologist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the study’s author, and an intersection in West Orange, New Jersey, near his home. As a zoologist, he had long been interested in animals’ perspective on and understanding of urban environments—and in birds’ relationship with cars, in particular. Scientists have previously observed ravens patrol American highways waiting for roadkill and songbirds using cars to hide from predators. Dinets was on the lookout for these interesting interactions when a young Cooper’s hawk migrated into his neighborhood and started doing something brilliant. The intersection wasn’t particularly busy, even during rush hour, Dinets wrote in a guest editorial for Frontiers in Ethology. But sometimes, a pedestrian would cross the street, causing cars to pile up all the way to a small, bushy tree down the block. The pedestrian “walk” signal would also make a sound that indicated it was time to walk. One morning, Dinets saw the hawk emerge from the tree, fly very low above the line of cars, cross the street between the cars, and then dive to get something near one of the houses. Then the same thing happened again. And again. It turns out that the family that lived in that house near the bushy tree liked to have dinner in their front yard. In response, birds—like sparrows and doves—would flock there to claim the leftover crumbs. That made for easy pickings for the hawk, who would swoop down into the yard to catch said sparrows and doves. But, curiously, the hawk only did this when cars were lined up along the block all the way to the tree. Dinets eventually figured out that the line of cars provided cover for the hawk, and that the hawk had learned to recognize the sound of the pedestrian “walk” signal. As soon as a pedestrian pressed the button, the hawk would fly from wherever it had been hanging out and into the small, bushy tree. It would then wait for cars to pile up before using the line of cars as cover to sneak up on its prey. The hawk had, apparently, learned to use the pedestrian signal as a cue to start heading over to the house crowded with defenseless birds, according to Dinets. “That meant that the hawk understood the connection between the sound and the eventual car queue length,” Dinets explained. The hawk also apparently had a good mental map of the neighborhood. The hawk (or what Dinets thinks was the same hawk) returned the next year and used the same strategy to hunt. Eventually, though, the family moved away and the signal stopped working, so Dinets hasn’t seen any super smart hawks hunting near his home since. Life is tough for birds in cities—they have to avoid windows, weave through cars, and deal with noise. But this study shows at least one way that they’ve adapted to urban living. “I think my observations show that Cooper’s hawks manage to survive and thrive there, at least in part, by being very smart,” Dinets wrote. Daily Newsletter You May Also Like By Ellyn Lapointe Published May 21, 2025 By Ed Cara Published May 15, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published May 14, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published May 6, 2025 Partner content with Bird Buddy Updated May 1, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published May 5, 2025

The rapid rise of AI agents is sparking both excitement and alarm. Their power lies in their ability to complete tasks with increasing autonomy. Many can already pursue multi-step goals, make decisions, and interact with external systems — all with minimal human input. Teams of AI agents are beginning to collaborate, each handling a specialised role. As their autonomy increases, they’re poised to reshape countless business processes. Tech giants are heralding them as the future of the web. At Microsoft’s Build conference this week, the company declared that we have entered “the era of AI agents.” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joined the event, proclaiming his lab’s new Codex tool as “a real agentic coding experience.” He called it “one of the biggest changes to programming that I’ve ever seen.” Beyond the hype, practical applications are rapidly emerging. AI agents are already assisting with various tasks, from code generation and cyber threat detection to customer service enquiries and shopping marketing campaigns.  Grab that deal Before long, they could become comprehensive executive assistants — managing your emails, calendar, and projects. But to harness the opportunities, people need to prepare now. Cihangir Kocak is helping them do just that. A principal business and AI strategist at HP, Kocak guides organisations through digital transformation. He believes AI agents will unleash a new wave of opportunities. “We are going to a future where everyone will have an AI agent as an assistant,” he says. At TNW Conference this summer, Kocak will host two sessions on AI agents. On June 19, he’ll deliver a keynote on their rise. The next day, he’ll join Joost Bos, Senior AI Engineer at Deloitte, for a masterclass titled “Agentic AI: Architecting the Future of Business.” Ahead of the event, he shared a few of his tips. 1. Understand what AI agents can do AI agents evolve large language models (LLMs) from passive responders into active problem-solvers. With tools, memory, and defined goals, they can complete complex tasks on their own. “Large language models act as the brains and AI agents as the hands, which means they can also act,” Kocak says. “They can do things for you autonomously.” Agents can also collaborate. One might source products, another handle logistics, a third build your website, and a fourth write the marketing copy. In future, businesses may need their own agents to interact with others. Your AI assistant could collaborate with them to book the best service for your needs. Free courses from the likes of Hugging Face, Salesforce, and Microsoft are good starting points to explore the possibilities. After getting an understanding of the basics, you can put them into practice.  2. Start experimenting Kocak expects AI agents to rapidly reshape workplaces. “I believe that within five years, everything will be changed because of AI agents,” he says. “It might be even much less than five years — maybe two to three years.” Many companies are already shifting numerous tasks from humans to AI. In the near future, the people that they do recruit may require experience of working with AI agents. “Soon, a lot of these companies will ask for people who can work with AI agents,” says Kocak. His advice? “Get your hands dirty. Play with it, experiment with it — but do it consciously.” One tool he recommends is LM Studio, a desktop app for running LLMs locally. But his key recommendation is simply getting started. “Just do something to get a feel of it. Once you have that, it’s time for the next step.” 3. Find use cases After testing some tools, Kocak suggests identifying where they can add value. He advises looking for tasks where AI can free up your time — and start small. “What costs you the most time? What don’t you like to do? When you figure out those things, you can look at how AI agents can help you.” Kocak uses local LLMs for privacy-sensitive tasks, and ChatGPT for public ones — like drafting LinkedIn posts in his own voice. “It saves at least half of my time,” he says. 4. Focus on the data The real magic of AI agents emerges when they’re personalised with your choice of data. Generic tools like ChatGPT can handle broad tasks. But if you want something tailored, agents trained on your choice of data can offer sharper performance. That internal knowledge can turn a generic agent into a bespoke powerhouse. “What makes an AI solution special is when you feed it with your own data,” says Kocak. “Then you will have a solution that can operate differently than anything else.” 5. Maintain human oversight Although AI agents can act autonomously, human oversight remains vital. Agents are powerful, but not flawless. Giving them too much freedom is risky. “It’s wise to have a human in the room,” he says. “The future will be AI agents plus humans — that will be the most beneficial combination.” 6. Stay secure As AI tools become more accessible, security concerns are mounting. Among the threats are data leaks, adversarial attacks, and agents going off the rails. There’s also the risk of losing a competitive edge.  “External parties can take your data and send it to their servers,” says Kocak. “They can then use all sensitive data in your conversations to optimise their models.” Many risks can be reduced by deploying open-source, local models — especially for sensitive data and use cases. “If you really want a competitive advantage, you need to run and own your AI. That sets you apart,” says Kocak. He adds that people shouldn’t be fearful, but conscious. Closed-source, cloud-based tools such as ChatGPT remain useful — but sensitive data and tasks may require more secure alternatives. “Just be aware of what information you enter. And remember there is another, better option, of running your large language model locally.” 7. Embrace the future As the industrial revolution and factory automation did before them, AI agents will transform jobs. Some roles will disappear — but new ones will emerge. A welder could become an operator of robotic welders. A data entry clerk might oversee AI agents. Kocak is optimistic about the possibilities. “Our core capabilities as humans — like being creative, finding solutions out of the box, and empathy — will come to the forefront.” These tips are just a glimpse of what Kocak will provide at TNW Conference. If you want to check out his sessions — or anything else on the event agenda — we have a special offer for you. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the ticket checkout to get 30% off. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with