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Aujourd’hui — 28 mars 2024Divers

Gemini Finally Comes to Google Messages (for Some Users)

Google has been upfront about its plans to inject its Gemini AI into just about everything it can, save for the base Pixel 8—which it says has some hardware limitations that keep it from sporting the latest Gemini version. One of the latest ways to get the Gemini treatment is through Google Messages.

This rollout isn't surprising at all, as Google officially confirmed the addition of Gemini to Messages around a month ago. Now, though, it has finally started to become available to some Google Messages beta users, and here's what you can expect from the new integration.

For starters, it's only available for beta testers that have RCS enabled, are at least 18 years old, and own a Pixel 6 or newer, Pixel Fold, Galaxy S22 or newer, Galaxy Z Flip, or Galaxy Z Fold. Any other devices aren't eligible for Gemini in Google Messages just yet. Google also says you'll need to have your phone's language set to English in places where Gemini in Messages is available, or French if you're in Canada.

Once you're into the beta and have Gemini, though, you'll then be able to do a number of things with the AI chatbot, including talk to the bot for information. You can respond to Gemini using text or image prompts, and you'll even be able to use extensions in your chats with Gemini.

If you want help drafting messages, all you need to do is ask Gemini and it will provide an appropriate response you can edit and then send as you see fit. You'll also be able to give feedback directly in the Messages app by long-pressing and holding down on the response you want to provide feedback for and then selecting the thumbs up or thumbs down to indicate what kind of response it was.

Google hasn't said yet whether it will allow Gemini Advanced users access to their premium features in Messages, so we'll have to wait for more information about the AI feature to become available before we can say for sure. But, at least for now, you can join the beta for Google Messages and test out the feature as long as you meet the requirements outlined above.

Google Wants You to Use AI for Your Next Vacation

Google hopes you'll trust its AI-powered search enough to use it to plan your next vacation. According to a blog post released this week, Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) can now help you plan an itinerary of destinations for your next trip, including highlighting must-visit locations, restaurants, and even an overview of possible flight and hotel options.

The new system builds heavily off of Google's AI search response system, which scours the internet for different responses to your queries. Google says that using SGE will provide you with all the details you need, including photos, reviews, and other info about businesses that you might visit. Of course, that isn't taking into account the problems that SGE is already experiencing, like the fact that it is pushing scam and malware sites in SGE results. Hopefully Google has resolved some of that, but be careful which links you click on in the meantime.

Aside from SGE, Google has also highlighted how recommended lists in Google Maps can help you plan your vacation better, including showcasing lists of recommendations from sites you trust as well as locals who know all the best spots. This doesn't really build off AI, but it's likely we'll see more AI features coming to Google Maps and other Google products in the future.

It isn't all that surprising to see Google pushing more AI features across its various projects. The company has made big strides to put its Gemini AI chatbot out there, and it is likely we'll even see these trip-planning features make their way to Maps at some point, though perhaps in a different fashion. However, it will probably be a while before you can fully trust the information these AI tools are spitting out at you.

What's New on Paramount+ With Showtime in April 2024

Par : Emily Long

Paramount+ viewers can start April with the premiere of the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery (April 4), which will wrap up the 65-episode series that rejuvenated the sci-fi franchise in 2017. There's also season four of The Challenge: All Stars (April 10), the reality competition show that, this time around, brings together former players to go head-to-head in South Africa. There's also CTRL+ALT+DESIRE (April 16), a three-episode docuseries about the manhunt to capture Grant Amato following the murder of his family members.

For Paramount+ With Showtime subscribers, there's Talk to Me (April 1), a supernatural horror film from A24 about a group of friends who use an embalmed hand to communicate with the spirit world.

Paramount+'s live programming kicks off with the CMT Music Awards (streaming on April 7) followed by live coverage of The Masters, which begins on April 8. There's also The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden – The Greatest Arena Run of All Time (April 14 at 9 p.m. ET), a livestream of the artist's 100th sold-out concert of his MSG residency.

Here’s everything else coming to the service in April. Note that titles with an asterisk are exclusive to Paramount+ With Showtime; everything else is also available to subscribers on the ad-supported plan. Those with two asterisks are available to Paramount+ With Showtime users streaming live on CBS and to all subscribers the following day.

Paramount+ Originals and premieres coming in April 2024

Arriving April 1

  • Talk to Me*

Arriving April 4

  • Star Trek: Discovery, season five premiere

Arriving April 7

  • CMT Music Awards**

Arriving April 10

  • The Challenge: All Stars, season four premiere

Arriving April 12

  • DORA, premiere

Arriving April 14

  • The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden – The Greatest Arena Run of All Time**

Arriving April 16

  • CTRL+ALT+DESIRE

Arriving April 26

  • Knuckles, premiere

TV shows coming to Paramount+ in April 2024

Arriving April 1

  • Jeff Dunham: I'm with Cupid

Arriving April 3

  • Bubble Guppies (Season 6)

  • Bubble Guppies: Bubble Puppy’s Fin-tastic Fairy Tale

  • Bubble Guppies: Guppy Style!

  • Bubble Guppies: The Puppy and the Ring

  • CMT Crossroads (Seasons 21-22)

  • CMT Presents The Judds: Love Is Alive - The Final Concert

Arriving April 8

NCISVerse: The First 1,000**

Arriving April 10

  • Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out (Seasons 19-20)

Arriving April 17

  • Mighty Planes (Seasons 1-4)

  • RENO 911! (Season 8)

  • The Last Cowboy (Season 4)

Arriving April 24

  • Air Disasters (Season 9-10)

  • How Did They Fix That? (Seasons 1-2)

Movies coming to Paramount+ in April 2024

Arriving April 1

  • Arsenal*

  • B.A.P.S.

  • Bandslam*

  • Black Lotus

  • Blades of Glory

  • Catch and Release

  • Chaplin

  • Cheech & Chong's Still Smokin'*

  • Cloud Atlas

  • Cold Mountain

  • Daddy's Home

  • Deep Impact

  • Domestic Disturbance*

  • Drive Me Crazy

  • Edge Of Darkness

  • El Dorado

  • Emma

  • Empire Records

  • Face/Off

  • First Blood

  • Galaxy Quest*

  • Get Rich or Die Tryin'

  • Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

  • Hotel for Dogs

  • I Love You, Man

  • Identity

  • Inherent Vice

  • Jacob's Ladder*

  • Juice

  • Just Like Heaven

  • Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

  • Last Night*

  • Life

  • Like a Boss

  • Magnolia

  • Malcolm X

  • Max Steel*

  • Mimic

  • Muriel's Wedding*

  • My Baby's Daddy

  • Nebraska

  • Nick of Time*

  • Planes, Trains and Automobiles

  • Rambo: First Blood Part II

  • Rambo III

  • Saturday Night Fever

  • Secret in Their Eyes*

  • Team America: World Police

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III

  • The Crossing Guard*

  • The Evening Star*

  • The Heartbreak Kid

  • The King of Comedy

  • The Ring

  • The Ring Two

  • The Ring Two (Unrated)

  • The Score

  • The Secret Garden

  • The Station Agent

  • The Transporter Refueled*

  • The Uninvited

  • TMNT

  • Total Recall

  • Transformers

  • Up in Smoke

  • Vacancy

  • Varsity Blues

  • Whip It

  • Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

  • Wild Card*

  • Wuthering Heights*

Arriving April 11

  • School For Scoundrels*

Arriving April 12

  • Deliver Us from Evil

Arriving April 25

  • The Painter

Xbox Cloud Gaming Now Supports Mouse and Keyboard for Beta Users

Mouse and keyboard fans, rejoice: Microsoft is finally rolling out support for these peripherals for Xbox Cloud Gaming, so long as you're a selected Xbox Insider.

The company is rolling out mouse and keyboard support as part of its latest Xbox Update Preview for Alpha Skip-Ahead testers. That means general Xbox Insiders will still need to wait, but for those in the "invite only" testing program, you should be able to hook up your favorite mouse and keyboard to play games that previously required a controller.

Microsoft says mouse and keyboard support works in cloud gaming on Microsoft Edge and Chrome, as well as the Xbox App on PCs (for those enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview). If you're playing in a browser, you'll need to enable Preview features first. You'll find the option on xbox.com/play by clicking your profile picture, choosing Settings, and enabling Preview features.

The program currently supports 14 titles at this time. Not a ton, but enough to get you started with experiencing mouse and keyboard controls on Xbox Cloud Gaming:

  • Fortnite (browsers only)

  • ARK Survival Evolved

  • Sea of Thieves

  • Grounded

  • Halo Infinite

  • Atomic Heart

  • Sniper Elite 5

  • Deep Rock Galactic

  • High on Life

  • Zombie Army 4 Dead War

  • Gears Tactics

  • Pentiment

  • Doom 64

  • Age of Empires 2

Microsoft has acknowledged a known issue with Atomic Heart, as there can be issues when swapping from your controller to mouse and keyboard while streaming the game.

You'll also notice that games display controller UI elements until you start to use your mouse and keyboard to interact with the game. If you see "press A to start," for example, trying clicking or moving with WASD to adjust the UI.

Browser users should take note that the stream needs to be in full screen for your mouse and keyboard to work. If you want to exit full screen, hit the Escape key. You also need to click on a game stream element in order for the game to recognize your mouse input. You can also press F9 to exit out of mouse and keyboard controls for the game.

You Can Get OneAir Elite on Sale for $80 Right Now

You can get a lifetime subscription to OneAir Elite on sale for $79.97 right now (reg. $790) until April 2. OneAir is a deal-alert service that lets you know when great flight deals are available—it tracks millions of fares in real time, lets you set destination-specific alerts, and lets you book destinations based on your budget. You just select your preferred departure airports (up to ten of them) and wait for OneAir notifications via email and mobile notifications. A lifetime Elite Plan offers access to Business, First, Premium, and Economy flights, and the membership can easily pay for itself with one great trip deal. OneAir Elite also offers discounts for hotels, ground transportation, entertainment, and activities.

The OneAir app is available on iOS and Android, and a lifetime subscription to a OneAir Elite Plan is on sale for $79.97 right now (reg. $790) until April 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.

Don't Trust These 'Reset Password' Pop-ups on Your Apple Devices

If you're minding your business on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and all of a sudden are spammed by pop-ups requesting that you reset your Apple ID password, you would understandably be a bit freaked out. The thing is, this is actually happening, and you should exercise caution—but not panic—if it happens to you.

What's behind the Apple ID password reset attack

As explained by Krebs on Security, bad actors are attacking Apple users by spamming their devices with password reset requests. These pop-ups do not go away unless you dismiss or engage with them via the Allow or Don't Allow options, which means in order to continue using your device, you need to constantly tap Don't Allow.

The pop-ups themselves aren't necessarily nefarious: This is how Apple allows you to change your Apple ID password on a non-trusted device, or on the web. Let's say you forget your Apple ID password and go through Apple's password reset website to reset it: Once you enter the appropriate amount of information, Apple will send a pop-up to your trusted, connected devices to approve the reset process. Once you approve, you can enter a new password.

What bad actors are doing, however, is exploiting some vulnerability in Apple's MFA (multi-factor authentication) process to not only send these reset pop-ups to your devices, but to truly spam you with them. You may dismiss the pop-up only to receive another almost immediately. One victim had to dismiss over 100 of these pop-ups before they finally stopped.

While we don't know exactly how attackers are spamming users with pop-ups, it's not difficult to imagine how they're targeting their victims. When you go to Apple's password reset site, you need to present your Apple ID and your phone number. If an attacker knows these two credentials of yours, they're free to trigger a reset pop-up.

Of course, you don't want to hit Allow. When you do, whoever is initializing this password request will be able to change your password on your behalf. When they do, they'll be able to log into your account on their devices and lock you out. While it's scary enough with how easy it would be to accidentally tap Allow after being spammed so many times, it's even more concerning that the pop-up appears on your Apple Watch as well. Krebs on Security reports on one victim who received the pop-up on their watch while they were sleeping: I could imagine myself accidentally tapping Allow if half-asleep, just trying to dismiss the notification.

It's not over if you hit "Don't Allow"

Even if you're able to wait out attackers and dismiss these notifications over and over again, they have another tactic at play. Since they have your phone number, they'll call you directly, spoofing their number as Apple Support. (It will literally show Apple Support's official number as the incoming caller.)

If you were to answer this call, attackers would try their best to convince you they were Apple Support, perhaps presenting certain information of yours that they have as "proof." Once they trick you, they'll trigger an SMS-based OTP (one-time password) code, which Apple uses to prove your identity when logging in somewhere unfamiliar. Don't share this code with anyone. Apple even includes that warning in the text it sends to you. While ideally, you wouldn't be talking to the attackers in the first place, if you're already in this situation, know that Apple Support would never ask for this code themselves.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like there's any way to protect yourself from these spam pop-ups if attackers already have your Apple ID and phone number. The only thing to do is to change your phone number, which is probably more of a hassle than it's worth in this case. (But if you have other reasons to do it, it might be worth it.) We'll just need to wait for Apple to fix whatever vulnerability these bad actors are exploiting to protect us. In the meantime, trust no one, and never tap Allow or OK on unsolicited pop-ups.

Your PS5 Will Soon Be Able to Capture Game Clips to Help Other Players

If you're playing a game on your PS5 and can't defeat a particularly challenging boss or figure out how to solve a certain puzzle, you'll soon be able to get help from an anonymous stranger. Sony has announced that later this year, your PS5 will be able to automatically capture game clips from your play sessions and upload them as hints for other players—and clips taken by other players will be available for your reference, too. This addition is called Community Game Help, and it's something you'll have to opt into, offering an interesting way to get help with a game without looking up an online walkthrough.

How you can contribute to PS5's Community Game Help

A screenshot of the upcoming Community Game Help settings page.
Credit: Sony

In the coming months, you will be able to opt in to Community Game Help, which means that videos from your gameplay will help others. Once this feature is rolled out to your PS5, you can go to PS5 settings > Captures & Broadcasts > Captures > Auto Captures > Community Game Help > Participate. This will allow you to opt in to the program.

This settings page, according to Sony, will also let you select how many videos you want to let the console capture every month. When you do certain things in supported games, your PS5 will automatically capture these videos and upload them to Sony's servers. When videos are uploaded, a moderator will review your content and decide if it can be published under Community Game Help. If your video is published, you'll get a notification on your PS5 and it'll appear under the Your Published Videos option on the Community Game Help settings page.

Sony says that your PS5 will automatically delete these clips once they're uploaded, which means that you don't have to worry about running out of storage. The company has also addressed other privacy concerns by confirming that only raw gameplay footage will be uploaded. Sony won't access your webcam feeds, party chat audio, or audio from your mic. According to Sony, this feature will be available "in select games later this year, and [its] goal is to expand it to as many titles as possible in the future."

How to use Community Game Help on your PS5

A screenshot of the upcoming Community Game Help feature from Sony's PS app.
Credit: Sony

At the moment, Community Game Help is being rolled out slowly, so it could be a while before it shows up on your PS5. To check if you've got it, you can hit the PS button when you're playing a game, select a card labelled Hints Inside, and select any of the videos under Community Game Help. This will also be available on the PS app.

These Monitors Are on Sale for as Low as $80

Dell's TechFest sale lasts for a few more days, so if you've been looking for a laptop, monitor, or other Dell product, take a quick look. If the 34-inch Ultra-wide LG monitor going for 50% off or the comically wide Samsung Odyssey G9 gaming monitor don't tickle your fancy, then perhaps one of these Dell monitors will. Here are my favorite three deals from the sale.

The 24-inch Dell SE2422H monitor is $79.99

You're not going to find anything fancy on the Dell SE2422H monitor, but if you're looking for a decent budget monitor that will get the job done, this monitor for $79.99 is a good option. The Dell SE2422H launched in 2021 and usually hovers around the $120 price point, according to my price tracking tools. It is a VA panel with 1920 by 1080 resolution, which is Full HD. What is surprising is the 75Hz refresh rate, which is more than the standard 60 Hz that you'll find in most monitors. You can do much worse for $79.99 than this monitor.

The 32-inch Dell S3222DGM curved gaming monitor for $249.99

For a budget gaming monitor, the Dell S3222DGM offers great value for the money. The 32-inch LED screen display features 2560 by 1440 Quad High Definition resolution (between FHD and 4K), 165Hz refresh rate, which is more than the 144 Hz you'll find on most monitors at this price, and HDMI DisplayPort connectivity. It has a curved display and a 2 ms response time. For $249.99, you're getting a respectable gaming monitor for a great price.

The Dell 32-inch G3223Q 4K gaming monitor with a $150 e-gift card

The Dell 32-inch G3223Q 4K UHD gaming monitor is not discounted per se, but it does come with a $150 Dell e-gift card that essentially makes the monitor $549.99 (if you were looking to spend at least $150 more on other products). The lowest I've seen this monitor go for is $599, so this is a solid deal. This 32-inch 4K gaming monitor offers HDR, has HDMI 2.1 port support, solid color accuracy, and is light at 13.29 lbs. But as our friends at PCMag will tell you, this monitor has a low contrast ratio, dims when viewing Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) content, and has high input lag. If most of your gaming is High Dynamic Range (HDR) instead of SDR, then that con will not matter much.

These Dell and Alienware Laptops Are up to $700 Off

Dell's ongoing sale ends March 31, but there are still plenty of deals on laptops to take advantage of. If you're looking for a new laptop, I have pulled my top three choices from the sale that you should consider.

The Dell XPS 13 for $599

This Dell XPS 13 came out in 2022 as a light and slim portable laptop starting at $999. The XPS line from Dell has been trying to perfect the affordable portable laptop, and when the new XPS 13 came out in 2023, it forced the 2022 version to lower its price to $799, but you can get it now for $599. The 2022 version is a good laptop for most people looking to do everyday computing tasks and stream media, but it's not for heavy media editing or gaming. It's a 13.4-inch laptop with 1920 by 1200 resolution, the standard 60Hz refresh rate, a Core i5-1230U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

The Inspiron 16 Laptop for $599

If you'll take a bit more power over portability, consider the Inspiron 16 laptop. As the name implies, this is a bigger 16-inch laptop, which means less portability, but it still has a solid battery life with up to 13 hours of juice (the XPS gets up to 12). The Inspiron 16 also has twice as much storage and RAM, with 512 GB and 16 GB, respectively. Most of the other specs are about the same, with 1920 by 1200 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and a Core i5-1335U processor.

The Alienware x16 gaming laptop for $1,599.99

If you're looking for a deal on a gaming laptop, consider the 2023 Alienware x16, which is $700 off. Like the other laptops on this list, this model is cheaper because it was superseded by the newer Alienware x16 R2 gaming laptop. But as our friends at PCMag will tell you, this is still an "excellent" gaming laptop. The x16 has a 16-inch screen with 1920 by 1200 resolution, a 480Hz refresh rate, a Core i7-13700H processor, 16GB of RAM, 2TB SSD, and an RTX 4060 GPU.

JetZero autorisé à faire voler son démonstrateur d’avion à ailes mixtes

JetZero est prêt à faire décoller son démonstrateur d'avion à ailes mixtes. L'avionneur mise sur 2030 pour que cet avion soit opérationnel. Il pourrait servir à transporter du fret à l'US Air Force ou bien être utilisé comme avion de ligne.

The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro Is Better (and Pricier) Than Other Brands

Video doorbells have become quite common since their arrival on the market 10 years ago: 20% of American households currently use one. The cost of owning and operating a video doorbell has plummeted, so how does Ring, which offers relatively expensive video doorbells and an almost required subscription plan, remain on top of the market? After testing the new Ring Battery Doorbell Pro ($229.99 plus subscription), I think the answer is that Ring continues to solve some of the most common problems with video security.

Ring's software is the least buggy of any doorbell or security camera I’ve tried. It connects quickly when notified; allows you to interact with whoever is at the doorbell; and grabs clips that respect the zones you’ve set up. Ring has added new functionality to the Doorbell Pro, and features exceptional video quality—but I believe it’s Ring’s ability to deliver on the most basic needs of a video doorbell that keep it so popular. 

Traditional details and lots of accessories

Over the last year, I’ve tested doorbells from Google, Aqara, and Blink; while each had pros and cons, they helped prime me to appreciate the new Ring. In the 10 years of Ring’s market presence the design of the doorbells has barely shifted, and the Ring design is the most stately and substantial of the video doorbells out there. Ring wraps their doorbells in brushed metal with black plastic and metal accents—they tend to look and feel more substantial. The Doorbell Pro continues that tradition: The top half of the doorbell is shiny black plastic and metal, and the bottom half is wrapped in brushed silver metal (that you can swap for another metallic finish). The large circular button with blue light that Ring is known for is present, and the Ring ships with a wedge mount for your door, but there are tons of mounts available online if you need a different kind. There's also a solar charger available now as well as indoor chimes.

A more labor-intensive installation results in a more secure doorbell

While Rings aren’t hard to install, they are harder to install than many of the brands I’ve mentioned above. In all of those cases, the doorbells mount very simply, but also insecurely. The Ring has always had a mounting system that is supposed to provide security for the doorbell itself, and ships with its own specialty screwdriver. The doorbell itself has to catch onto the mounting plate and is then secured with a number of small screws to the mounting plate. Physical installation took about 10 minutes, and setup took another 15. Once the Ring app is installed and the doorbell was plugged in via USB, the app easily found and added the doorbell. You can spend a lot of time configuring the Ring, but I advise you to live with the doorbell for a few days to see what settings you need. 

Ring continues to conquer response lag time

Once up and running, Ring will begin sending you a raft of notifications. There are two types—notifications of activity in front of the doorbell and of the doorbell actually being rung. In both cases, you’re likely to decide to click on the notification and see what the activity is. This is where Ring differentiates itself from other doorbells: With all the other brands, I experienced connection errors, delays, and time outs. Ring, on the other hand, connects quickly and painlessly to show you the clip of what happened—or the live view, so you can monitor or interact in real time. While there's always a slight delay based on your wifi signal, Ring’s response time is far and away the best of all I’ve tried. 

This means that the other feature people buy video doorbells for—interacting with someone at your door—works better on a Ring than other models. That response time is important—your UPS driver isn’t waiting around for a 30-second response delay.

Subscriptions are pricey and essential to using the doorbell

Seeing those clips (not the live view) is dependent on having a Ring subscription. While the subscription is optional, not being able to watch those clips renders the Ring almost worthless, in my opinion. The doorbell ships with a free 30-day trial, but once that expires, it’s on you to re-up. Plans start at $4.99 a month for one device and quickly go up from there. Generally, I prefer products that do not require these subscriptions and allow you to store clips locally, like Eufy.

Great video clarity with an assist from new features

The clarity on the new Ring is top notch, and it’s not just the resolution, which clocks in at a reasonable HD 1536p. Ring has designed the lens to get a complete head-to-toe view of whoever is at your door, which means you can also see packages waiting at your door. I was surprised how useful this was. That clarity extends to far-view video—you get remarkably clear details about the delivery person even as they get out of the car. I was impressed at how much better the Ring had gotten at respecting the zones I set up in the app to ignore or pay attention to. I was easily able to set it so I wasn’t bombarded with notifications of people walking by the house—a previous issue I’d had with doorbells. This is likely due to Ring's 3D mapping—a new feature—and Bird’s Eye View, which uses motion detection to determine if the action in front of it is relevant to you or not. I was also impressed by the night vision, which provided clear, color images even once I turned off the porch light—without the graininess you usually see. Some of the other doorbells I’ve tested provide higher resolution, but I hardly noticed the difference. 

Ring has worked hard to layer on new features. The most useful is that Ring can now use AI to help tell if there’s a package at your door. If you tend to leave things at your door, this feature works less efficiently, but it did correctly identify packages most of the time if they were left directly in front of the door, and only twice misidentified a neighborhood cat as a package. Additionally, the doorbell will work with your other Ring devices to track someone’s movement over your property. 

Batteries are now more accessible and more powerful

A real upgrade, in my opinion, was the battery. While you can, of course, buy a wired version of the doorbell, an awful lot of people buy the stick-up battery version, and previous incarnations have required unmounting the whole doorbell to recharge the battery. The process was arduous enough that I was apt to leave the doorbell uncharged often. Now you simply remove the metal faceplate and remove the battery, leaving the doorbell behind. This has two benefits, it’s a lot less work, and you can purchase a backup battery and swap them, so you’re never out a doorbell. The battery life has gotten much better, too. Over a month, the battery only lost one bar, remaining at 75% charge. For comparison, I used to charge my Ring once every eight weeks. 

Bottom line: an expensive but superior video doorbell

There is simply no denying that the cost difference between Ring and competitors is substantial. This Ring model is $229 before the subscription, compared to a Blink doorbell, at $41.99 or Aqara at $119.99. There are lesser Ring models, like the Video Doorbell at $59.99 and Doorbell Plus for $119.99; you can get most of the benefits of the Pro at a lesser cost. Despite my hesitation on cost, there is just no denying that Ring delivers on the original premise of a video doorbell better than other brands—good-quality video of what is happening at the door, in real time. 

Pie bavarde : voilà pourquoi il vaut mieux ne pas l'embêter

Sais-tu quel animal au joli costume irisé noir et blanc, a une excellente mémoire et peut même reconnaitre les humains à leurs visages ? Aujourd’hui, on va parler de la pie bavarde dans Bêtes de Science.

How to Stop Instagram From Automatically Hiding Political Content

Instagram and Threads will now hide political content by default, making it harder to follow current affairs, important updates about government policies, voting rights, protests, and much more. If you're the kind of person who prefers not to view political content on social media, you can stop reading right here. However, if you want to view posts on issues such as healthcare, your government's stance on global conflicts, or the bills your local politicians are backing, then you should review Instagram's settings. (Note: Instagram says that it's only going to limit recommending political content from accounts that you don't follow.)

How to stop Instagram from removing political content

The bigger issue is that algorithms created by corporations are controlling what you see on social media. You can, however, take the power back (mostly). On Instagram, that could mean preventing the service from limiting political content. To do this, open the Instagram app on your phone and tap the Profile icon in the bottom-right corner. Now, tap the three-lines button in the top-right corner and go to Content preferences. On this page, you should select Political content and pick Don't limit on the next page. This setting impacts both Instagram and Threads (it's not available in the Threads app).

The wording on this settings page is unclear about what Instagram defines as "political content." The company says that political content is "potentially related to things like laws, elections, or social topics," which is a vague definition at best. It adds that you won't see political posts from public accounts in its Explore page, Instagram Reels, and suggested posts that show up in your feed.

How this change affects you

Instagram has been talking about distancing itself from news and political content for some time now, and this change cements its stance on the subject. The company says that if you follow political accounts on the service, you'll be able to view their content on your feed, but that it won't recommend these posts if you don't follow the accounts.

This will affect certain accounts much more than others. If someone has been providing valuable information from a conflict zone, that could be hidden from a large number of people who'd benefit from seeing it. Over time, algorithms could easily hamper disaster-relief efforts in situations where there are funding requests for humanitarian aid, or for rescue operations. 

At the moment, it's also unclear if this move will reduce the spread of politically motivated disinformation such as propaganda, anti-vaccine messages, or other types of unscientific rage-bait. 

Ceta : faut-il vraiment diminuer le commerce international des produits agricoles ?

Les sénateurs ont cru faire un geste pour les agriculteurs, et en particulier les éleveurs, en dénonçant l’accord commercial avec le Canada, le Ceta. En fait, ils leur tirent une balle dans le pied car depuis 2017 cet accord bénéficie aux éleveurs ! En effet, la dernière idée à la mode chez la...

How to Block JavaScript on Specific Websites (and Why You Should)

JavaScript is a double-edged sword: It adds lots of useful features to your favorite websites, such as interactive maps, loading images in the background, refreshing content on a site without reloading the page, and more. At the same time, it's exploited by advertisers and tracking companies to deliver ads, pop-ups, and malware, and mine your data. Blocking JavaScript helps improve your privacy, but it risks breaking many websites. Luckily, there is a workaround—disable JavaScript on some sites, but not all of them.

What happens when you disable JavaScript

Disabling JavaScript has a few big advantages. It often loads pages faster, blocks invasive tracking, and sometimes even lets you bypass paywalls. Unfortunately, it will also make some modern websites look like they were designed in the 1990s; in the absence of JavaScript, they might revert to a basic HTML layout. Additionally, forms may not work, you may not be able to sign in to sites, and interactive webpages may not function at all. You'll also notice that your favorite websites look different when JavaScript is blocked. This is because many sites use it to render fonts as well.

It's clear that disabling JavaScript globally is a bit of an extreme option for most people.

The solution: disable JavaScript on specific websites

By disabling JavaScript on some sites, you still get to use JavaScript on sites that break without it, while benefiting from improved privacy, ad blocking, and cleaner layouts on other sites.

Disable JavaScript on a per-site basis in Chrome, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, and other Chromium browsers

The JavaScript settings page in Brave, a Chromium-based browser.
Credit: Pranay Parab

You can use a built-in feature to disable JavaScript for specific websites in Chrome and other Chromium browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Arc Browser, etc. To get started, open this URL: chrome://settings/content/javascript. Although this is the way to open Chrome's JavaScript settings page, it works in all Chromium-based browsers. 

On that page, select Don't allow sites to use JavaScript. This will disable JavaScript by default, but you can add exceptions to the rule. Under Allowed to use JavaScript, click Add to select the sites where you want to enable it. Alternatively, you can stay with the default option of Allow sites to use JavaScript and blacklist the sites where you want to block it. You can do that by clicking Add under Not allowed to use JavaScript.

If that sounds like too much work, you can use the excellent NoScript extension with your browser. It blocks JavaScript by default, but you can easily ask the extension to trust certain domains.

For Chrome on Android, follow our in-depth guide to disabling JavaScript on specific webpages.

Block JavaScript on specific sites in Safari

The Safari preferences page for StopTheScript
Credit: StopTheScript

Safari allows you to block JavaScript everywhere or not at all. To block Javascript on all sites in Safari on your Mac, you can go to the Safari menu > Settings > Security and uncheck Enable JavaScript. On your iPhone, this setting is available under Settings > Safari > Advanced. You can uncheck JavaScript

That option is a bit extreme for most people, but you can adopt a more moderate approach by installing the StopTheScript extension. It costs $6 and works with Safari on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. This extension allows you to block JavaScript on the sites you choose. The developer has created a nice tutorial explaining how to use StopTheScript and you can follow the steps to set it up quickly.

Disable JavaScript for some sites in Firefox

A screenshot of NoScript's settings page in Firefox
Credit: NoScript

When you're using Firefox, NoScript is the extension you need. The extension will stop JavaScript on every site by default; you can click its toolbar icon to enable JavaScript on any site temporarily or permanently.

Stop JavaScript for specific sites in Orion Browser

Orion browser's JavaScript settings page.
Credit: Pranay Parab/Screenshot

The Orion browser, which lets you install both Chrome and Firefox extensions, lets you easily enable or disable JavaScript for specific websites. You can go to Orion Settings > Websites > JavaScript to set this up. At the top, you'll see an option to select if you want to enable or disable JavaScript by default. Select Off to disable it by default or On to allow it. Then, click the + button to add sites where the default global setting does not apply.

Hier — 27 mars 2024Divers

How to Start a 'Backdoor' Roth IRA (and When You Should)

If your income exceeds the limits for contributing directly to a Roth IRA, there's still a way to fund one through a strategy known as the "backdoor Roth IRA." This technique allows high-income earners to take advantage of the tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals offered by Roth IRAs.

What is a "backdoor" Roth IRA?

A backdoor Roth IRA is not an official type of account: It's simply a strategic maneuver that involves making contributions to a traditional IRA and then converting those funds into a Roth IRA. This bypasses the income limits that normally restrict high-earners from contributing directly to a Roth.

If you file taxes as a single person, your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) must be under $153,000 for tax year 2023 and $161,000 for tax year 2024 to contribute to a Roth IRA, and if you're married and filing jointly, your MAGI must be under $228,000 for tax year 2023 and $240,000 for tax year 2024.

How the backdoor Roth IRA works

Here are the basics of taking advantage of this backdoor strategy:

  • Make a non-deductible contribution to a traditional IRA. Since your income exceeds the Roth IRA limits, you can contribute to a traditional IRA without taking a tax deduction.

  • Convert the traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. After contributing to the traditional IRA, you can then convert those funds to a Roth IRA. This conversion is a taxable event, but since you didn't get a tax deduction on the contribution, you'll only pay taxes on any earnings.

  • Pay taxes on the conversion. When converting, you'll owe income tax on any earnings in the traditional IRA account. If the conversion happens quickly after the contribution, there likely won't be significant earnings to tax.

IRA eligibility and limitations

There are no income limits for contributing to a traditional IRA or converting to a Roth IRA. The limit on annual contributions to an IRA are $7,000 in 2024 (up from $6,500 in 2023). Remember these contribution limits apply to the grand total contributions you make each year to all your traditional and Roth IRAs. As always, you can and should max out these limits, if possible.

It's important to note that if you have existing pre-tax funds in other traditional IRAs, the conversion will be partially taxable based on the pro-rata rule.

Getting started with your backdoor Roth IRA

To set up a backdoor Roth IRA, you'll need to open a traditional IRA account if you don't already have one. Then, make your non-deductible contribution and initiate the Roth conversion process according to your provider's requirements.

Consulting a tax professional is recommended, especially if you have existing IRA funds, to ensure you understand the tax implications. While the backdoor Roth strategy involves some extra steps, it can be a valuable way for high-income individuals to enjoy the benefits of a Roth IRA.

Cette caméra capture 156 300 milliards d’images par seconde !

Des chercheurs au Canada ont mis au point un appareil photo capable de prendre 156 300 milliards d’images par seconde ! Cette technologie devrait faciliter l’observation de phénomènes ultrarapides, comme la mécanique des ondes de choc dans les cellules vivantes ou dans la matière.

Le vortex polaire tourne à l’envers depuis début mars !

Depuis le 4 mars dernier, le vortex polaire circule de manière inversée. Cette grande bulle d'air froid qui circule au-dessus du pôle nord présente en effet un comportement inhabituel de manière durable. Mais alors que l'on pourrait s'attendre à l'arrivée d'une vague de froid dans de telles...

TikTok's 'Golden Retriever' and 'Black Cat' Relationship Theory Is Toxic

There are a whole bunch of TikTok trends that are more hurtful than helpful. Another one to add to the list: the "golden retriever boyfriend/black cat girlfriend" theory. The trend, which was coined a few years ago and has since continued to rack up a ton of videos on the subject, describes a relationship between “golden retriever” boyfriend who is easygoing, extroverted, and loves his girlfriend, a "black cat," who appears to have an attitude of indifference, low responsiveness, and is introverted. According to TikTok, this dynamic is one that couples ought to look for if they want a successful relationship and marriage.

One TikTok video lists examples of celebrity marriages and relationships that exemplify the "golden retriever" boyfriend and "black cat" girlfriend dynamic, and why they worked. In another video, a user talks about how, whenever she was the "golden retriever" girlfriend, her relationships never worked out—and only did when she was the "black cat."

This typology, according to Sarah Melancon, a sociologist and sexologist, tends to reflect negative stereotypes about men and women in relationships, only reversed from cultural norms. "Stereotypically, we expect the woman to be more relationship-focused and eager to please, while we expect men to be more detached and less ready to commit or connect.  Either way, when there is an imbalance of interest and effort in a relationship, it won’t be very satisfying," she says.

As for why this dynamic doesn't tend to be the healthiest, Melancon points out that a "golden retriever" boyfriend might be someone who's actually clingy, people-pleasing, or has an anxious attachment style, while the behavior and actions of a "black cat" girlfriend could indicate lack of interest, standoffishness, or an avoidant attachment style.

"Ideally, we want our relationships to be a two-way street," Melancon says. "While things will not be perfectly equal on a day-to-day basis, we want a reasonable balance of love and support flowing between both partners."

And, sure, opposites can attract, and sometimes we tend to be attracted to qualities in others that we lack in ourselves, but the risk involved in a golden retriever/black cat typology, says Melancon, is that "one partner puts in more effort, while the other may not even appear to appreciate it. Any relationship can have those moments, but as a general pattern, both partners will become increasingly dissatisfied with the relationship over time."

Red flags about the "golden retriever" boyfriend

A “golden retriever” boyfriend isn't just about being friendly and generous. Sometimes what looks like an attractive quality is actually hiding a deeper issue that could spell trouble for your relationship down the line.

  • He identifies as a “good boyfriend." He always initiates every text message and date, always apologizes and never takes any blame, surprises you with gifts for no reason at all, and seemingly does everything "right" by you. The problem? "Wanting to be a good partner is great, but wanting to be seen as a good partner turns the relationship into an achievement or source of approval rather than an opportunity to be present," Melancon explains.

  • He's codependent. He texts you all day every day and he wants to see you every day. The issue? "A healthy relationship allows each partner to express themselves and pursue their interests with adequate personal space," Melancon says. "Enmeshment collapses the space between “you and I,” resulting in feelings of pressure, being stifled, or smothered."

  • He's highly extroverted. While this is not a red flag in itself, Melancon says that if there is a major difference in social interest compared to a partner— he likes to be the life of the party and loves having people around him, and you don't—the relationship may not be sustainable.

Red flags about the "black cat" girlfriend

A "black cat" girlfriend might at first appear to be demure and a prize worth chasing, but her qualities might not actually be well-suited for a healthy relationship.

  • She appears disinterested. She takes days to respond to your text message, doesn't insert herself into your life, and generally appears she's not that into you. The problem? "While we don’t need to be our partner’s literal cheerleader, we all need to know that we’re loved and cared for," Melancon says. "A 'black cat' may unintentionally communicate a lack of interest or love," which won't feel good if you're not receiving the attention and affection you deserve.

  • She struggles with communication. She will leave you on read without having a discussion about something that bothered her; she won't ever tell you how she's feeling, good or bad, and doesn't initiate heartfelt conversations. The issue? "No one is a mind reader, so when one partner often shuts down, it can put a major strain on the relationship," Melancon explains.

  • She's highly introverted/anti-social. Again, while this isn't necessarily a red flag, says Melancon, if she is someone who prefers to be alone and doesn't like to engage socially but you do, that will be an issue for your relationship.

The potential challenges that this relationship could face

The “golden retriever” boyfriend may wind up feeling unappreciated, unloved, or even used, says Melancon. Meanwhile, the “black cat” girlfriend may feel overwhelmed or smothered. "Both partners may struggle to attune to one another’s needs and learn to share love in a way that resonates most with their partner," she explains. "Over time, issues like this can degrade the sense of closeness and intimacy between partners."

Melancon says a relationship between a “golden retriever” boyfriend and a “black cat” girlfriend could work out if both are willing to make adjustments and grow together.

"What matters most in a relationship is how both partners feel—whether their needs are met, if they feel safe communicating and setting boundaries, and how much they respect one another," she says. "All of us have shortcomings when it comes to relationships, but as long as partners are willing to grow, unhealthy relationships can transform over time. We all feel anxious at the uncertainty of life and especially love, so utilizing tests and typologies is a common way of trying to control the future. But please don’t end or start a relationship just because of something you see on TikTok."

Pour la Science n°558

Glaciers en sursis

The Most Important Steps to Making an Effective To-do List

The key to a productive day is, for many, a solid to-do list, which is why there are so many elements that go into making one. To be clear, even jotting down all the things you need to get done haphazardly is still better than not doing it, but if you really want to excel, why not put in a little extra time and make one that will help you get everything done for real?

Before making your list, prioritize your tasks

The first step to making a great to-do list is figuring out what actually needs to be on it. You have a few options when you do this, but the first thing you need to do is brain-dump every single thing you want or need to do.

Now, you can use one of three methods to sort and prioritize those tasks. The first is pretty easy: Grade each one using the ABCDE method. Assign each task a grade from A, the most important things that will have consequences if they don’t get done; B, the tasks that won’t have major ramifications right away if undone, but do need to get handled; C, tasks with no real consequences for not being done, but it would be good to get taken care of; D, tasks you can delegate to someone else with confidence they’ll get them done; and E, tasks you can just toss out altogether because they have no purpose or no consequences associated with them.

That’s a pretty subjective approach that asks you to figure out those grades on your own and go with them, so if you need something a little more concrete, consider using the Eisenhower matrix or this handy mathematical approach. If you opt for Eisenhower, you’ll create a graph where the X axis represents urgency and the Y represents importance, so you’ll end up with a top-left quadrant full of tasks that are urgent and important, while the top right will show you tasks that are not urgent and not important, and so on. When doing this, it’s helpful to jot down some context, like deadlines and potential consequences, next to each task, so you can more easily identify if they’re timely (or “urgent”) and consequential (or “important”). If you choose the mathematical route for maximum objectivity, look back at that list of tasks and assign each one two numbers between 1 and 10: The first is how much effort the task will take and the second is how much impact it will ultimately have. Then, divide each tasks “results” number by its “effort” number for a final score, which will also be between 1 and 10, then rank all the tasks from lowest to highest number so you prioritize those that are important but require the least effort, meaning you’ll be able to get more done without expending all your energy and resources. 

Making the to-do list itself

Once you’ve weeded out the important and urgent tasks, you need to make the to-do list itself. Don’t be afraid to embrace multiple types of to-do lists, like long-term ones and daily ones. The important but not urgent tasks, for instance, could be better off getting placed on a list of weekly goals than day-of ones, so you can save the bulk of your time for what is most immediately pressing. 

The gold standard of to-do lists is the 1-3-5 list, so consider sticking to this formula when making your list, whether it’s for the day, the week, the month, or the whole year. With this kind of list, you’ll choose one big task, three medium-sized ones, and five small ones to knock out in the timeframe—and only do those. Your time and resources are finite, so this prevents you from getting overwhelmed or wasting your time on unworthy tasks. A big task should be one that is going to take time and effort, plus have consequences for not getting done. In your personal life, that could be filing your taxes or attending a parent-teacher conference. At work, it could be analyzing data you have to present at a big meeting. Medium tasks are those that require some time and have some consequences, but don’t demand a big chunk of your time or resources. Small tasks are those that are nice to get done but won’t devastate you if they don’t get handled, like sorting through your emails or organizing your notes. Getting these done is going to motivate you and give you a feeling of accomplishment just as much as it’s going to contribute anything concrete to your work. 

Choose your to-do list method

Finally, you have to make a real list, but there are different ways to do that. Don’t try to keep it all in the old noggin; it’s easy to forget things or get off-task. Instead, you can use an app designed for to-do lists, like these, or even hand-write your to-dos. Writing by hand helps you connect to and retain whatever you’re jotting down, so it can be a great way to kick off the day and get your pressing tasks lodged in your brain. If you’re going to be on the move a lot, try writing in a smart notebook, like the Rocketbook Core, so you can scan the pages and have them available on your phone or other devices right away. Otherwise, an old-school planner works really well here. (Here’s a list of great planners for a variety of needs.)

The goal is to get the list down somewhere accessible, but also to spend some time actually creating it, so you connect with the importance of the tasks at hand and commit to them. It takes a little extra time every morning, but can really pay off. 

On sait où est allé Homo sapiens après avoir quitté l’Afrique

Une nouvelle étude reposant sur l’analyse du génome humain suggère qu’après avoir quitté l’Afrique il y a 60 000 ans, Homo sapiens se serait arrêté pendant plusieurs dizaines de milliers d’années au niveau du plateau iranien, avant d’essaimer vers l’Asie et l’Europe.

This 128GB 4-in-1 Smart Flash Drive Is on Sale for $31 Right Now

This 128GB 4-in-1 smart flash drive is on sale for $30.99 right now (reg. $39.99). It’s not an ordinary thumb drive; it supports standard USB 3.0 along with lightning, micro-USB, and USB-C connections, so you can plug it directly into your iPhone, Android, Mac, PC, or any other compatible device. It can move files between devices with up to 25Mbps transfer speeds, and it can also be used as an external memory expansion for any compatible devices. It measures less than two inches wide and weighs less than an ounce, so it’s both more versatile and convenient than other flash drives.

You can get the 128GB 4-in-1 smart flash drive on sale for $30.99 right now (reg. $39.99), though prices can change at any time.

Why I Still Choose Android Over iOS

The first iPhone was unveiled on Jan. 9, 2007, the first Android handset (the HTC Dream) showed up on September 23, 2008—and though it's impossible to know for sure, I assume the very first Android vs. iOS article ran very soon after that.

It's a debate that's spanned the decades, like Windows vs. macOS or Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi, and it tends to attract a lot of interest. Both of these mobile operating systems get refreshes every year too, which means there are always new talking points to discuss.

As a tech journalist writing guides, news, and reviews, I'm not a normal phone user: I spend a lot of time using both Android (specifically at the moment, a Google Pixel 8) and iOS (an iPhone 15 Pro Max right now). I'm not switching from one to the other—I'm using both regularly, and extensively.

That means I know the ins and outs of both platforms when it comes to day-to-day operations, and the phone I make use of the most—for personal messaging, social media, web browsing, music, podcasts, and everything else not to do with work—is the Pixel 8. So I thought I'd add to the Android vs. iOS discussion by trying to explain why.

Bear in mind that I don't hate iOS or the iPhone—I'm actually quite a fan of the slick combination of hardware and software that Apple has put together. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is a great smartphone, no doubt. However, I'd rather use Android for my regular device, and these are the reasons why.

Android offers more customization

Android vs iOS
Rotating Home Screens is one feature Android has that iOS doesn't. Credit: Lifehacker

You'll see this mentioned in every Android vs iOS comparison out there, and it's still true. You can still do more with the Home Screen, the Lock Screen, and the app icons on Android—you can even reskin the entire interface with a tool like Nova Launcher. To a certain extent, iOS has caught up, but the customization options on the iPhone still aren't as comprehensive or as easy to use.

Get this: The Home Screens on Android actually rotate and work in landscape mode too. I like having pixel-by-pixel control over how my phone looks, whether it's having one single app on a Home Screen or stretching widgets in all directions. The rumor is we'll see more Home screen customization once iOS 18 rolls around, so Apple clearly agrees with me that it's lagging behind Google in this area.

I find the current iOS home screen and app library set up rather clumsy. Why can't I just see a simple list of all the apps I've installed? To find an app that's not pinned to the Home Screen, I have to swipe all the way to the last of these screens, and then figure out which category Apple has decided to drop the app into.

Google apps work everywhere

Android vs iOS
Google TV works fine in iOS. Apple TV on Android? Not even available. Credit: Lifehacker

To each their own, but I find Google's suite of apps much more appealing than Apple's, with a couple of exceptions. When it comes to Gmail vs. Apple Mail, Google Docs vs. Pages, Google Maps vs. Apple Maps, and Google Photos vs. Apple Photos, I'm choosing Google every time (though I do love Apple Music).

There's no space here to go into all of the individual reasons why, but Google's apps are speedy, reliable, and—crucially—available everywhere. If I rent a movie from Google, I know it'll play on just about every device out there, pretty effortlessly—but have you tried getting Apple TV running on Android? It's a bit of a mess.

Admittedly, this is more about the apps and services that Google and Apple offer, rather than Android and iOS. But if you split your time between Apple and non-Apple devices like I do, your life is clearly going to be easier if you pick Google—and if you're picking Google's apps, then it follows that they work best and are updated quicker on Android.

Apps get more control on Android

Android vs iOS
You can change more of the default apps on Android. Credit: Lifehacker

Speaking of apps, Android lets developers get their hooks deeper into the operating system than iOS does—which Apple would say makes Android less secure. As an app like Tasker, which lets you create all kinds of automations and routines, shows, Android is the better pick for tinkerers and hackers (and I'd include myself in that group).

As a result of this, there are entire app categories you can find on Android that don't exist on iOS—apps to check battery health and usage, apps to run wifi network diagnostics, apps for managing files on your phone (beyond Apple's own options). As with the customization options, it's fair to say a lot of users might not want these extras, but I do.

Beyond the individual apps themselves, on Android you're able to do much more with them: You can install multiple instances of the same app, you can run two apps side by side on the screen, and you can change more of the default apps. You can even install a different app to manage your text messages—something I wouldn't expect to see on iOS for quite a while (if ever).

Android feels more intuitive

Android vs iOS
Two things you won't see on iOS: Notifications in the status bar, and gaps on the Home Screen. Credit: Lifehacker

This might be partly because I'm more used to Android at this point, but some of the key ways for getting around the software work better for me on Google phones than they do on Apple phones. The universal back gesture is a case in point: one swipe, go to the previous screen. This works in some apps in iOS, but not every app, and it's not consistent across the whole system—on my iPhone, I'm often reaching for the little back button or the app switcher (or just staring at the screen, confused).

Then there's notifications. This is partly personal preference, but I much prefer the Android system—including the way unread notifications stick around in the status bar and on the Lock Screen on Android, rather than disappearing away to the Notification Center in iOS. Expanding and dismissing notifications feels quicker on Android too, though there's not much to choose between the platforms here.

Of course, if you've used every iPhone since the first one and never tried Android, switching would probably disorientate you, and leave you pining for the ways of iOS. However, having used both, I'd say Android makes more sense in quite a few ways—such as actually being able to see that you've set an alarm on the Lock Screen, which you need to add a widget for on iOS.

Les astronomes révèlent les champs magnétiques puissants du trou noir géant au cœur de la Voie lactée

Les champs magnétiques associés aux trous noirs en rotation accrétant de la matière influent sur la façon dont ces trous noirs produisent des jets de particules et avalent la matière tombant sur leur horizon des événements. Après avoir mesuré les champs magnétiques autour du trou noir...

What People Are Getting Wrong This Week: Political Half-Truths

It’s an election year, so naturally there are virtual firehoses of misinformation pointed at potential voters. While there are encouraging signs that people are getting better at spotting misinformation, there’s a kind of “fake news” that seems particularly pernicious on both sides of the political aisle: drawing a conclusion based on omitted information or missing context. It’s a favorite tactic of politicians that explodes during an election year, so let’s dig into a couple of widely spread examples—one from the right and one from the left.

Gas Price Meme
Credit: Snopes

The picture above, from Snopes, who culled it from my aunt's Facebook page, is not Photoshopped and it's not a lie. The national average price of a gallon of gas really did dip to $1.77 in April of 2020. But the meme text suggests that this had somehow had to do with decisions Donald Trump made while in office.

The answer is always "supply and demand"

People like to discuss the reasons gas prices fluctuate, probably because we are confronted with it every time we go to the pumps, but whether you blame high gas prices on corporate greed, or credit low gas prices to Donald Trump being awesome, you're equally wrong. The main driver of gas prices is basic supply and demand. The real reason gas was so cheap in 2021 was a global drop in demand for petroleum caused by economic activity due to COVID-19 lockdown. It would not have mattered who was president; it's not like there's a lever in the Oval Office that sets commodity prices.

This isn’t to say that governmental policy has no effect on prices. The inflation spike of 2022 was caused in part by the $2 trillion American Rescue Plan signed in 2021. It’s complex and there are a lot of other factors at work, but as a general rule, supplying more money to the economy to prevent or reverse a recession results in inflation, but i it also causes the economy to grow and stay out of recession (a much worse result than higher inflation.) Again, it's supply and demand.

Politicians on both sides lie

It’s not just right-wing people who fall victim to the allure of jumping to conclusion fallacy though, though. Check out this chart posted on Twitter by Kamala Harris:

Biden job growth chart
Credit: Kamala Harris - Twitter/X

Like the right-wing meme, this chart isn't inaccurate or Photoshopped, but it leaves off the same thing the gas price photo omits: COVID. Most of the jobs “created” during the Biden administration were the result of people returning to work following lay-offs during the pandemic. Adjusted for COVID, the net job-gain from Biden’s first day until February 2024 was 5.5 million jobs. Nice work, but a lot less sexy-looking on a chart. 

During his State of the Union address, Biden said, "The only president other than Donald Trump that lost jobs during an administration was Herbert Hoover," which is half-true (maybe), but only if you ignore the economic devastation that COVID wrought, and also ignore that we don't really know the number of jobs lost during Hoover's administration—the Bureau of Labor Statistics didn't exist until after Hoover was out of office.

How the same numbers tell a different story

While Biden put an overly positive spin on his job numbers and bagged on Trump's, it’s possible to look at the same basic information and draw the opposite conclusion. At a speech on August 5th, Donald Trump said: “During Biden’s first 30 months in office, just 2.1 million new jobs were created, and by contrast, during my first 30 months in office we created 4.9 million new jobs.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, when Trump took office, there were 145.6 million non-farm jobs in the U.S. Thirty months later, there were 150.8 million (in a first, Trump gave himself slightly less credit than he deserved during this speech). When Biden took office, there were 143 million nonfarm jobs. By his 30th month in office, the number of nonfarm jobs had risen to 156.2 million. 

Trump isn't totally lying (this time)—he's trying to eat his cake and have it too. He gives Biden no credit for jobs that returned after the coronavirus pandemic, and assigns himself no blame for jobs that were lost due to COVID, limiting his assessment to the 30-month window of the Trump administration before COVID shook up the economy. As Dean Baker, co-founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research told Politifact, Trump is saying "everything that was bad is Biden's fault, whereas everything that is good would have happened anyhow.”

Spinning numbers to make yourself look better is nothing new, but what if you really want to know the truth? You probably can't.

Which administration has the stronger economy?

Despite polls showing Trump with an 11- to 20-point lead over Biden on the question of which candidate would better handle the economy, the economy did well under Trump, if you don’t take the shocks of COVID into account, and the economy is doing well under Biden, if you don’t assign blame for the COVID shock on Biden. (It also depends on what you mean by the economy "doing well.")

Even if you wanted to base your vote solely on which administration would be “best for the economy,” (instead of, say, which candidate is being tried for nearly 100 felonies) it’s probably not possible, even though we have recent data on how each handled it. The effects of public policy on the economy is such a complex subject, and there are so many people pushing so many agendas—weirdos sharing gas price memes on Facebook, vice presidents sharing slanted job charts on twitter—that it’s probably not possible to understand with any degree of certainty. Even if you devote your life to studying macroeconomics, other economists will have diametrically opposed views to yours.

This leaves us with tribalism and vibes, two factors that have probably always decided U.S. elections. If you're thinking "that's true of most politicians, but not my favorite one! They're a straight-shooter!" the wool has been pulled over your eyes. A political candidate who was really honest, who refused to engage in deception and self-puffery, would be dead in the water in any election larger than the local school board. Imagine a presidential candidate running on a platform of "There's not much I can do about the economy; it's supply and demand."

Découverte de cerveaux de plusieurs milliers d’années très bien conservés

L’esprit, la première chose qui disparaît ? La plus grande étude à ce jour de la littérature archéologique mondiale sur les cerveaux humains préservés pourrait donner tort à cet adage bien connu.

What's New on Prime Video and Freevee in April 2024

Par : Emily Long

Like last month, Prime Video has one anticipated original title coming in April. Fallout (April 11)—executive produced and with a few episodes directed by Westworld co-creator Jonathan Nolan—is a post-apocalyptic drama series adapted from the video game of the same name. The show stars Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, and Walton Goggins.

Also on the list of Amazon originals coming in April is How to Date Billy Walsh (April 5), a teen romance/coming-of-age film starring Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper), Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton), and Tanner Buchanan (Cobra Kai) as well as rom-com Música (April 4) starring Camila Mendes and Friday night streams of the National Women's Soccer League (NSWL) starting April 12.

Here’s everything else coming to Prime Video and Amazon-owned, ad-supported Freevee in April, including every season of House and Eureka (April 1).

What’s coming to Prime Video in April 2024

Arriving April 1

  • Age of Adaline (2015)

  • Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

  • Batman & Robin (1997)

  • Batman Forever (1995)

  • Blaze and the Monster Machines Vol2 S1-S2 (2014)

  • Blockers (2018)

  • Boomerang (1992)

  • Chaplin (1993)

  • Cheech & Chong Get Out of My Room (1985)

  • Chinatown (1974)

  • Cloverfield (2008)

  • Disturbia (2007)

  • El Dorado (1967)

  • Eureka S1-S5 (2006)

  • Fighting with My Family (2019)

  • Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

  • Heist (2015)

  • Henry Fool (1998)

  • Hotel for Dogs (2009)

  • House S1-S8 (2004)

  • Inside Job (2010)

  • It's Complicated (2009)

  • Jarhead (2005)

  • Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

  • Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)

  • Lone Survivor (2013)

  • Lords Of Dogtown (2005)

  • Macgruber (2010)

  • Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

  • Mimic (1997)

  • Money Monster (2016)

  • Monster Trucks (2017)

  • Nebraska (2014)

  • Neighbors (2014)

  • Ong Bak - The Thai Warrior (2005)

  • Out of Sight (1998)

  • Red Eye (2005)

  • Richard Jewell (2019)

  • Rosemary's Baby (1968)

  • Saturday Night Fever (1977)

  • Snatch (2001)

  • The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

  • The Aviator (2004)

  • The Big Short (2015)

  • The Front Page (1931)

  • The Heartbreak Kid (2007)

  • The House Bunny (2008)

  • The Last Temptation of Christ (1998)

  • The Notebook (2004)

  • The Ring Two (2005)

  • The Station Agent (2003)

  • The Stepford Wives (2004)

  • The Sweetest Thing (2002)

  • The Truth About Charlie (2002)

  • The Way Back (2020)

  • The Young Messiah (2016)

  • Titanic (1997)

  • To Catch a Thief (1955)

  • To Write Love on Her Arms (2015)

  • Top Gun (1986)

  • Total Recall (1990)

  • Wayne's World (1992)

  • We Own The Night (2007)

  • We Were Soldiers (2002)

  • When The Game Stands Tall (2014)

  • White Noise (2005)

Arriving April 2

  • Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (2023)

  • Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (2023)

Arriving April 4

  • Música (2024)

Arriving April 5

  • Hit S3 (2020)

  • How To Date Billy Walsh (2024)

Arriving April 8

  • Unforgotten S5 (2023)

Arriving April 9

  • The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

Arriving April 11

  • Fallout (2024)

Arriving April 12

  • NWSL (2024)

Arriving April 18

  • Going Home with Tyler Cameron (2024)

Arriving April 22

  • Spectre (2015)

Arriving April 25

  • THEM: The Scare (2024)

Arriving April 29

  • The Holdovers (2023)

What’s coming to Freevee in April 2024

Arriving April 1

  • Cruel Intentions (1999)

  • Grown Ups (2010)

  • Grown Ups 2 (2013)

  • Jumping the Broom (2011)

  • Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)

  • Peter Rabbit (2018)

  • The Croods (2013)

  • The Equalizer (2014)

  • The Karate Kid (2010)

  • The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

  • The Photograph (2020)

Arriving April 4

  • Monster Family 2 (2021)

Arriving April 5

  • Alex Rider S3 (2024)

Arriving April 18

  • Dinner with the Parents (2024)

Le MIT peut générer des images avec l’intelligence artificielle 30 fois plus vite !

Pour générer une image, les IA passent par une centaine d’étapes. Pour accélérer le mouvement et réduire la puissance de calcul nécessaire pour les produire, des chercheurs du MIT sont parvenus à condenser ces étapes en une seule.

You Really Shouldn’t Buy a 'Cheap' Smart Ring

Smart rings are becoming more and more popular, and with the Galaxy Ring set to debut in late 2024, they are likely only going to get more so. Unfortunately, as tech becomes popular with the masses, cheaper versions often become available. Sometimes, this can be a boon—competition is a good thing in the tech industry, after all, and not everyone can afford to drop several hundred dollars on a piece of tech. The downside, though, is that it also opens the door for shady companies to get involved in the tech space, and that’s exactly what seems to be happening with smart rings right now.

If you look up lists of the best smart rings on the market right now, you’re going to see a few good options, like the Oura ring 3 and the Ultrahuman Ring Air. You’ll also likely see a ton of other lesser-known brand names, especially if you start looking at places like Amazon. The downside here is that these cheaper rings can open the door for companies to seriously mishandle your private health data.

Of course, smart rings aren’t the only wearable device with some concerns over the ethics of data collection and storage. Fitness trackers and smart watches all carry some of the same concerns, though on a much larger scale. This wasn’t as big of a deal with smart rings previously because there just wasn't as many options out there. However, because we’re seeing an uptick in the number of smart rings on the market, there are bound to be more companies pushing devices that don’t fully respect your data. Many of them appear to be building off the potential that companies like Oura have showcased, but underneath, they’re more like a cheap fitness tracker or smartwatch—not overly accurate, and riddled with a lack of information about what they do with your health data.

In short, purchasing a cheap smart ring might save you money, but it could also be putting your health data in danger. That’s because many of these smart rings are based on license deals, which allow the brand company to purchase the ring from someone else, then add their brand to it and ship it as their own product. This happens a lot with other parts of the industry, too—most notably the phone case industry (in case you’ve ever wondered why all those random brands on Amazon all look the same).

This is something that TechRadar covers really well in a report by author Becca Caddy, who details her investigation into the cheaper side of smart rings. Caddy notes that when talking to different smart ring providers and trying to get to the bottom of whether or not their products are licensed, many of them like to play coy and never really answer the question. That creates a lot of room for the company to abuse your trust in their systems, which is a good reason to steer clear of anything they are offering.

It’s because of these license deals that you really need to be careful about what kind of smart ring you’re purchasing. See, when you choose to buy something like the Oura Ring 3, you’re signing up to the Privacy Policy that Oura supports, which says that Oura can collect your data, but that it won’t share or sell that information to third parties or data aggregators. Other companies, like Samsung, also take a strict approach to data, and when the Galaxy Ring releases, it’s likely we’ll see some strict protection plans in place for your health data there.

Additionally, there’s also the question of accuracy and just how well the sensors included in the cheap smart ring you are buying will work. Many of the cheaper smart rings boast about their multitude of features, but they never really break down how accurate they are. This is a problem, as one of the biggest reasons to buy a smart ring right now has to do with its ability to act as a health and fitness tracker. If you aren’t getting accurate readings, it doesn’t really do you any good. 

If you do want to buy a smart ring, there are still some really great options out there right now. The Oura Ring 3, as I noted above, is one of the top smart rings. Oura does a great job of protecting your privacy, and the accuracy of the ring’s various reports are great, too. The Ultrahuman Ring is also another solid option for those who want more of a fitness-focused smart ring, so make sure to check out both of those and compare any cheaper smart rings you might be eyeing to the features, accuracy, and privacy policies those more expensive rings offer.

Now, this isn't to say that there aren't going to be good smart rings that fall into a cheaper price range. Inevitably, we're going to end up with some quality and more affordable smart rings. But if you’re going to buy something that gets access to your data, make sure you’re always aware of the risks that come with it.

Le Kaméni, le secret explosif de l’île de Santorin

L’île grecque de Santorin, avec ses emblématiques maisons blanches et bleues juchées en surplomb d’une baie d’azur, est indéniablement une merveille esthétique. Mais l’histoire de la formation de ce lieu paradisiaque est spectaculairement violente.

Santorin doit sa forme courbe et son intérieur submergé à de colossales éruptions survenues dans un lointain passé qui évidèrent le centre de l’île. Après chaque éruption, le volcan de Santorin reconstitue lentement ses réserves de magma et se prépare pour une nouvelle explosion gigantesque. La plus célèbre de ces éruptions eut lieu en 1560 avant notre ère. Cet emportement, l’un des plus puissants des 10 000 dernières années, ainsi que la désolation et les raz-de-marée qui s’ensuivirent marquèrent probablement le début du déclin d’une civilisation de navigateurs : les Minoens.

L’île se trouve actuellement au milieu de ce cycle cataclysmique, et les volcanologues sont particulièrement préoccupés par le volcan de l’île Néa Kaméni. Celui-ci, qui est en réalité une extension hors-sol du volcan de Santorin, qui est lui bien plus vaste, est une structure principalement sous-marine située au cœur de la caldeira et possède deux sommets : Paléa Kaméni et Néa Kaméni, qui passent une petite tête hors de l’eau.

En 726, l’une des éruptions du Kaméni donna lieu à d’importantes explosions et à une abondante projection de matière en fusion. Eu égard à la qualité particulière des roches volcaniques produites lors de cette éruption, on pensait qu’il s’agissait là du pire scénario auquel Kaméni était en mesure de se livrer.

Mais une nouvelle étude, publiée dans la revue Nature Geoscience, révèle que cette éruption fut en réalité plus virulente, et ce d’un à deux ordres de grandeur.

Les chercheurs estiment qu’au moins cent milliards de mètres cubes de lave, de cendres et de roches brûlantes furent expulsées du volcan. Ainsi cette éruption est comparable à l’explosion du volcan sous-marin Hunga Tonga, survenue en 2022 dans l’océan Pacifique. « Si une telle éruption se produisait de nos jours, cela aurait des répercussions majeures », affirme Jonas Preine, géophysicien de l’Université de Hambourg et auteur principal de l’étude.

C’est une nouvelle fâcheuse, à la fois pour les 15 000 habitants de Santorin et pour les deux millions de touristes qui visitent l’île chaque année. « Cela laisse entrevoir la possibilité que les éruptions modérées à importantes soient plus probables que ce que l’on pensait », révèle David Pyle, volcanologue de l’Université d’Oxford qui n’a pas pris part aux présentes recherches.

Mais « les habitants de l’Égée n’ont pas de raisons de paniquer pour autant pour le moment », tempère Jonas Preine. Le risque d’éruption à Santorin dans un avenir proche est faible, et rien n’indique qu’il doive en survenir une bientôt. En outre, cette étude renforce la compréhension qu’ont les volcanologues de cette île et des risques éruptifs qu’elle présente, et elle permet aux scientifiques de mieux protéger les personnes de dangers futurs.

« Les volcans sous-marins coûtent cher à étudier, déplore Jonas Preine. Mais cela en vaut la peine. Il y a tout une collection de dangers susceptibles de leur être associés. »

 

ENQUÊTER SUR L’HISTOIRE VOLCANIQUE DE SANTORIN

Santorin n’est qu’une des nombreuses caldeiras que compte notre planète. Celles-ci sont le fruit de l’activité de volcans qui semblent fonctionner selon des cycles qui culminent en d’importantes explosions qui engendrent des dépressions en forme de chaudron (d’où le nom caldeiras). L’activité volcanique de l’île aurait commencé il y a 650 000 ans environ, et à cette période, celle-ci aurait entraîné au moins cinq explosions catastrophiques, dont une qui dévasta toute une civilisation en 1560 avant notre ère.

Depuis lors, c’est le Kaméni et ses deux sommets qui écrivent l’histoire volcanique de l’île. Ce volcan aux éruptions à la fois effusives et un peu explosives est entré en éruption pour la dernière fois en 1950 et, hormis quelques secousses sismiques en 2011 et 2012, est resté tranquille depuis. Mais il n’est pas endormi pour autant.

« Le volcan est encore assez actif, donc il y a, bien entendu, toujours un risque », prévient Isabel Yeo, spécialiste de volcanologie sous-marine du Centre national d’océanographie de Southampton, en Angleterre, qui n’a pas pris part aux présentes recherches. Les scientifiques sont tout à fait conscients que les volcans sous-marins « sont capables de nous surprendre ».

L’éruption de 726 a accaparé l’attention de ceux qui comptent savoir à quel point Kaméni pourrait être dangereux à l’avenir. Les récits historiques sont en tous cas terrifiants : on dit que les eaux de la baie se mirent à bouillir, puis que « la mer entière était en feu », raconte Jonas Preine ; après quoi des explosions assourdissantes recouvrirent le ciel de cendres et la terre de pierres ponces.

Mais les indices volcaniques découverts par les scientifiques ne semblent pas tout à fait concorder avec ces descriptions. « La pierre ponce ne se forme et n’est projetée que lors d’éruptions explosives », explique Rebecca Williams, volcanologue de l’Université de Hull n’ayant pas pris part aux présentes recherches. De plus, « le fait que la plupart des archives rocheuses aient été englouties par la mer constitue un obstacle important à la pleine compréhension de l’histoire éruptive des îles-volcans ».

L’éruption de 726 ne fait pas exception à la règle : seules de petites traces furent laissées sur la terre. Par conséquent, même si l’on savait qu’un phénomène dangereux avait eu lieu, « l’impact de cette éruption ne fut jamais vraiment pris au sérieux », déplore Jonas Preine.

 

À QUOI RESSEMBLERA LA PROCHAINE ÉRUPTION DE SANTORIN ?

Bien décidés à déchiffrer le passé volcanique trouble de Kaméni, des membres du Programme international de découverte des océans (IODP) ont foré les bassins marins de la caldeira en divers endroits et en ont extrait des carottes sédimenteuses à chaque fois.

Cela leur a permis de découvrir un volume considérable de cendres et de pierres ponces qu’ils ont attribué à l’éruption de 726. Il est vite apparu que cette éruption fut aussi importante et aussi grave que l’affirmaient les témoignages historiques. Il est vraisemblable que des explosions sous-marines tonitruantes se soient produites et qu’elles aient été suivies de colonnes immenses de cendres et de pierres ponces.

L’idée d’une éruption explosive projetant cent milliards de mètres cubes de matière éruptive est sans aucun doute intimidante. Mais la réalité fut bien plus cauchemardesque encore.

« L’estimation qu’ils fournissent est des plus conservatrices, car ils ne s’appuient que sur le volume de matière déposée au sein de la caldeira, explique Isabel Yeo. De grandes quantités de matière furent sans doute transportées et déposées loin du volcan lors de l’éruption. »

Cette étude laisse entrevoir la possibilité que Kaméni puisse être capable de bien davantage de dégâts que nous ne le soupçonnions. Une éruption aussi explosive de nos jours « pourrait être synonyme non seulement de retombées substantielles de cendres et de pierres ponces, mais également de raz-de-marée générés par un possible effondrement "localisé" de l’île, qui est construite sur des dépôts instables de pierres ponces », explique Kathy Cashman, volcanologue de l’Université d’Oregon n’ayant pas pris part aux recherches.

La découverte de l’équipe de recherche signifie également que le pire scénario pourrait s’avérer bien plus grave que prévu. Fort heureusement, cela fait longtemps que les scientifiques prennent en considération les risques volcaniques posés par l’île.

« On devrait prendre Santorin au sérieux étant donné le potentiel tsunamigénique du volcan et le nombre important de personnes susceptibles d’être affectées », prévient Amy Donovan, volcanologue de l’Université de Cambridge qui n’a pas pris part aux présentes recherches. « Cet article dit bel et bien que [l’éruption de] 726 était plus grave qu’on ne le pensait, mais il n’aggrave pas mes préoccupations concernant ce volcan qui est déjà préoccupant pour tout un tas de raisons. »

Sans surprise, le volcan est également surveillé de près vingt-quatre heures sur vingt-quatre. « Tout signe de regain d’activité a de bonnes chances d’être détecté dans ses toutes premières phases et cela donnerait lieu à des alertes », indique Isabel Yeo.

Les implications de ces recherches ne vont pas rester cantonnées à l’île. On considère Santorin comme l’un des sites clés dont l’étude a conduit à la création de cette science moderne qu’est la volcanologie. On l’a examiné sous toutes les coutures, chacun de ses détails accessibles a été analysé de manière scientifique d’innombrables fois. « Cela ne l’empêche pas de grandement nous surprendre, confie Jonas Preine. Ce volcan que vous observez chaque jour recèle des secrets que nous sommes encore en train de mettre au jour. »

Que cela dit-il alors d’autres volcans à caldeira ailleurs sur le globe, et notamment de ceux qui sont submergés par l’océan ? « Si nous avons pu ne pas avoir conscience de cela à Santorin, alors nous ne sommes certainement pas au courant d’éruptions similaires survenues sur d’autres volcans, fait remarquer Jonas Preine. Il s’agit d’un angle mort colossal pour la communauté volcanologique. »

L’horloge tourne. « Presque aucun volcan sous-marin n’est sous surveillance, s’alarme Isabel Yeo. Et cela doit changer. »

Cet article a initialement paru sur le site nationalgeographic.com en langue anglaise.

How to Make Sure Your Solar Eclipse Glasses Will Actually Block the Sun

Par : Jason Keil

Despite what Bruce Springsteen says in his hit song "Blinded By the Light," it's no fun looking into the "eyes of the sun." According to Prevent Blindness, exposing your peepers to the sun's rays during a solar eclipse without proper eye protection can cause "eclipse blindness" or retinal burns, also known as solar retinopathy, and the damage to your sight can be permanent.

With the next occurrence of the Moon passing between the Earth and the sun not expected for another 20 years after the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8, you might be tempted to gaze at the heavens without proper eye protection. However, even a brief glimpse of the sun during a solar eclipse can cause irreversible damage to your eyes. I'm not your parent, but I strongly advise you to take charge of your eye safety by investing in a pair of solar eclipse glasses. 

However, some unscrupulous third-party sellers sell fake pairs of glasses through Amazon and other online vendors, which can put your vision at risk. (Just ask the man in California who suffered significant vision loss thanks to a pair of counterfeit glasses, according to the Indianapolis Star.) To help keep your eyes safe to see another day, here are some tips to help you know that the pair you picked up will do their one job. 

Check the ISO number

To determine whether your solar eclipse glasses will block ultraviolet and infrared radiation, check the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) number on the frames. According to the American Astronomical Society (AAS), compliant glasses will bear the label ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015) to show they reduce sunlight to safe levels.

Wait, counterfeiters put that number on there too, right?

They sure can! To ensure you are buying solar eclipse glasses from a reputable source, the AAS has created a list of manufacturers, vendors, dealers, and importers they have vetted to help you with your purchase. 

While the AAS points out they are unable to investigate all sellers, they do offer this sage piece of advice:

We do not recommend searching for eclipse glasses on Amazon, eBay, Temu, or any other online marketplace and buying from whichever vendor offers the lowest price. Before you buy a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you make sure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page.

Can I just test them myself?

According to the AAS, you can use sunlight reflected off a mirror or a metal object to test if your solar eclipse glasses work. If the light reflected seems very dim through the lenses, you should be safe. However, if you can see any light through a lamp, light bulb, or other household light fixture, you may have a pair of counterfeit glasses.

Additionally, check your glasses to see if the lenses are torn, scratched, punctured, or coming loose from their frames. If so, discard them.

Nine Foods (and Drinks) Made Better by Pickles

It’s time to celebrate the pickle. No, it’s not quite National Pickle Day (and yet, every day is), but here at Lifehacker, the pickle is indeed precious. It’s a cucumber’s victory dance. It brings bright acidity, crunchy contrast, and a saline slap wherever it goes. It can save a sandwich or switch up a cocktail, and it’s even a pretty fun time on its own. Pickles come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and flavors. No matter which kind you have at the moment, here are some of the best things you can do with your tangy cukes. 

Pickle dip 

A small bowl of pickle dip on a bed of chips.
Credit: Claire Lower

Kicking off the list in the best way possible is a dip composed of pulverized, caramelized pickles. This caramelized pickle dip is creamy, tangy, salty, and irresistible. It’s so good, legend has it that it’s impossible to have leftovers. Browning the pickles properly takes a bit of time in a frying pan, but after that the dip comes together quickly in a food processor.

Pickle pizza 

It’s expected to bedazzle your slice with some salty meats or a few veggies, but why stop there? A cheesy, salty pizza could use a few briny bites to balance things out, if you ask me. Throw some sour dills onto your pie. The pickle’s acidity mellows out slightly in the oven as the excess water evaporates, and you’re rewarded with slightly crunchy, briefly tangy morsels to look forward to. 

Pickles in blankets 

Sorry, pigs, but pickles need to stay warm too. While mini weenies have ruled crescent dough for quite some time, small, spritely gherkins work wonders as a replacement. In fact, switching out the cured meat for the brined veg makes pickles in blankets a vegan iteration of the party classic. (Always check the ingredient list to make sure.) For the ultimate party snack, I suggest pairing both pickles and cocktail weenies in one cozy pastry blanket. 

Pickle in cheese

It’s still not feasible to wrap myself in frico, but I can absolutely do this to a pickle with nearly as much satisfaction. There’s nothing difficult or time consuming about cooking a pile of cheese in a pan and then folding it over a pickle. Which is great because that means you can do it right now if you have those two ingredients. Read here for more details on making the “chickle.”

Pickle salad

A bowl of pickle salad on a table.
Credit: Claire Lower

Pickles are just cucumbers that spent a little extra time in a vinaigrette, sort of. So there’s no reason to get weird about eating a pickle salad, right? Glad you agree. This pickle salad is simple to make and easy to gobble up. It’s crunchy, tart, creamy, and freshened up with a dash of chopped herbs. It makes a fantastic companion for any rich, smoky meats you might be serving up at a summer barbecue, or piled high on top of your mid-winter turkey burger. 

Pickle spaghetti 

With just four ingredients, you can make the pickle pasta of your dreams. (You dream about pickles too, right?) Already imbued with garlic, salt, and vinegar, pickles pack plenty of flavor. Which means you can get busy chopping them up and sautéing them with butter instead of rummaging around in your spice cabinet. Get the full pickle spaghetti recipe here.

Pickle sandwich 

If you think a good sandwich needs meat, you’re mistaken. Like any meal, what keeps you coming back again is flavor—and pickles have no shortage of that. Take this pickle sandwich for example. The complimentary flavor profile of a salty, crunchy pickle and sharp, fatty cheese is certain to win a place in your sandwich rotation. With its ease of assembly and budget friendly ingredient list, I recommend keeping pickles and cheese around as a permanent fixture for whenever the mood strikes.

Iced pickles

A bowl of ice with pickles on top.
Credit: Claire Lower

It may not be summer yet, but in anticipation of the event you should definitely have a plan for your pickles. Serving them chilled out of the fridge is good, but there’s a way to make them even better. Battle sweltering summer days with crisp iced pickles. They can serve as a welcome break from hot grilled foods, or as a luxurious briny treat on their own. Furthermore, if you’re dunking pickles in your beer anyway, you might as well keep the brew cold. 

The Pickletini

True pickle lovers don’t just eat them, they drink pickles too. Truly, the cucumber is only half the story. The brine makes the pickle. It’s what imbues the vegetable and it’s worth saving for other uses, like picklebacks or making a dirty, briny martini. With just three ingredients, you can make your own pickletini to sip on. Garnish it with a wee cornichon (maybe an iced one?) and serve. It’s the perfect companion to sit with while you ponder which pickle-centric meal off of this list you’ll make next. 

Pourquoi nous allons passer de moins en moins de temps en extérieur, selon le MIT ?

Des scientifiques ont analysé l'évolution du nombre de jours que nous allons pouvoir passer dehors dans le futur. Ils estiment que le changement climatique va réduire le nombre de jours profitables dehors, et l'augmenter pour d'autres pays. Mais tout cela dépend aussi de votre ressenti...

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L'Inde, puissance spatiale émergente qui s'affirme, poursuit le développement d'un véhicule spatial réutilisable. Après un premier essai convaincant en avril 2023, le prototype de ce véhicule a réalisé un nouveau vol libre axé sur l'atterrissage autonome. Un essai plutôt réussi.

How to Oust Your Condo Board or HOA

Close to 30% of Americans live in a property governed by a condo board, homeowners association (HOA), or other community association—more than 70 million people. These associations are generally responsible for property upkeep, enforcement of community rules, and acting as a go-between for residents when disputes arise. Most people have a good or at least neutral experience with their condo board or HOA, but not everyone does.

If you find yourself in serious conflict with a condo board or HOA and get to the point where the normal channels (discussion, showing up at meetings, or even running for a position yourself) can’t solve the problem, you might contemplate a lawsuit. If common areas aren’t being maintained, or repairs aren’t being done, that might seem like your only option—but suing your condo board or HOA is often not your most effective option, and there might be better avenues to explore.

Why you should probably skip the suit

Thanks to pop culture depictions of attorneys and a constant stream of headlines, there’s a tendency to think you can (and should) solve every problem with a lawsuit. Lawsuits can certainly be an effective way to get relief of various kinds—but they're also an expensive, slow, and totally not guaranteed way to seek change or redress.

This is especially true when it comes to suing your HOA or condo board, because of something called the business judgment rule. This rule requires judges hearing a suit to favor the condo board or HOA as long as they believe they are acting in good faith and with a reasonable belief that their actions are for the good of the community—and proving otherwise can be tough. The specific laws governing your community association will vary, but in general this guideline makes winning a lawsuit against your community association very challenging.

Vote them out instead

Instead of spending a lot of time and money on a lawsuit you may very well lose, the better way to deal with a condo board or HOA that is either derelict in their duties or actively harming your property is to remove problematic board members—or replace the entire board altogether. This is usually a less challenging option because there will be language in the governing documents of the association (the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions or CC&Rs) that outline exactly how to do this. Most states require that these governing documents include mechanisms for calling a special meeting (usually via petition signed by a majority of property owners). This can be done even if your condo board is dodging accountability by claiming to lack a quorum every time a regular meeting is called, a tactic bad condo boards sometimes use to maintain their control.

Here’s the basic steps you’ll need to take:

  • Read bylaws. Review those governing documents so you know how your association is set up. Pay particular attention to two things: Automatic removal criteria and how to force a vote. Most bylaws include certain requirements for board members, including a minimum number of meetings they have to attend and their ownership status at the property. These can potentially provide a straightforward way to remove board members without the need for a lengthy process—but first you have to know what those criteria are.

  • Contact your neighbors. If you can’t see any easy way to push bad board members out the door, you’ll need to bone up on the removal procedures outlined in your bylaws. These will vary from state to state and association to association, but in general, removing a board member (or an entire board) requires a vote involving all the property owners. That means your first step is to meet with everyone and make sure you have the necessary support.

    Next, you’ll need to call a special meeting of the condo board or HOA to hold a vote. If your board is being cagey about calling meetings because they know the residents are up in arms, you can usually force a meeting by getting a majority of owners to sign a petition.

  • Be ready. If you’re planning to remove the entire board, it’s a very good idea to have candidates lined up to replace them. This will minimize the chaos and delays, as well as the chance that the board members you just worked hard to remove don’t simply resume their seat when no one runs against them.

Keep in mind that if your association overtly works to prevent organizing your fellow owners like this (by imposing fines on distributing flyers, for example, to try to stop owners from organizing), it’s pretty clear evidence of bad faith, which would probably negate the business judgment rule protections and make a lawsuit a slightly better risk.

Working to remove a community association takes a lot of time and effort no matter what route you take—but if your property is being adversely affected by mismanagement or malfeasance, you really don’t have a choice. If that’s where you are, break out those bylaws before you call an attorney.

Vous ne vous reconnaissez pas dans votre travail ? Vous souffrez peut-être de burn-out de désalignement !

Mal-être, désinvestissement au travail voire démission peuvent arriver lorsqu'un salarié ne se reconnaît pas dans les valeurs de son entreprise. Ce phénomène a un nom : le burn-out de désalignement. De plus en plus fréquent, il touche surtout les jeunes, dans un contexte de catastrophe climatique.

Aïd al-Fitr : comment le jeûne du Ramadan est rompu à travers le monde

Lorsque le soleil se couchera le 9 avril, les musulmans du monde entier regarderont vers le ciel pour apercevoir un croissant de Lune - la conclusion du mois sacré du Ramadan.

Commençant et se terminant avec la nouvelle lune, le ramadan est observé durant le neuvième mois du calendrier lunaire arabe. Ce serait à ce moment-là que les premiers versets du Coran auraient été révélés au prophète Mahomet, il y a plus d'un millénaire. Du lever au coucher du soleil, les musulmans s'abstiennent de manger, de boire et de commettre des vices comme le commérage et le mensonge. Il s'agit non seulement d'une période d'introspection, mais aussi d'un rappel à la charité envers les plus nécessiteux.

L'Aïd al-Fitr, qui signifie en arabe « fête de la rupture du jeûne », est célébré pendant trois jours à la fin du ramadan par des prières, des festins, des défilés, des cadeaux et des dons de charité. Voici un aperçu de la manière dont il est célébré dans le monde entier.

Cet article a initialement paru sur le site nationalgeographic.com en langue anglaise.

Internet : les Français bientôt rationnés à 3 Go par semaine ?

Discrimination, cybercriminalité, pollution numérique... Comment venir à bout des problèmes sociétaux et environnementaux que génère l'utilisation d'Internet ? L'ancienne ministre de l'Éducation nationale française, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem met sur la table une solution : limiter l'accès au web...

La Nasa va déposer un « sanctuaire » sur la Lune qui durera des millions d’années !

Porté par une équipe française à l'initiative de l'ingénieur Benoît Faiveley, le projet Sanctuary on the Moon est aussi soutenu par l'Unesco et la Nasa. Il s'agit de déposer sur la Lune non pas une archive ou une encyclopédie complète des connaissances et de la culture d'Homo sapiens au début du...

Marc-André Selosse : « Notre lien aux autres vivants est si intime qu’il nous altère »

Professeur au Musée national d’histoire naturelle, le biologiste Marc-André Selosse dirige plusieurs équipes de recherche, mais se consacre aussi à faire connaître les sciences du vivant, par exemple en présidant la fédération BioGée. Interpellé par les idées reçues et trompeuses qui pullulent sur l’évolution biologique ou culturelle, sur nos liens aux autres espèces vivantes, sur les déchets toxiques ou au contraire utiles, et même sur l’égalité homme-femme, il nous en explique les tenants et aboutissants. Stupeur et biologie : c’est fascinant !

Un virus à l’origine de la myéline

Des biologistes ont découvert que la myéline est, dans le cerveau, régulée par un rétrotransposon. Cela suggère une origine virale de cette membrane qui a joué un rôle crucial dans le développement de nos capacités cognitives et motrices.

Stockage géologique de déchets radioactifs : comment s’assurer de la tenue à très long terme des bétons ?

Une fois les déchets stockés, il est nécessaire de sceller définitivement les puits à l’aide de « bouchons » d’argile gonflante. Pour qu’ils soient efficaces, leur gonflement doit être contraint par des structures en béton. Mais comment s’assurer que la dégradation du béton ne compromette pas ce confinement mécanique sur une durée d’isolement de plusieurs centaines de milliers d’années ?

Champignons : nos fascinants voisins fongiques

Retrouvez cet article dans le numéro 295 du magazine National Geographic. S'abonner au magazine

Anne Pringle était en train d’examiner des champignons en Californie, dans le parc d’État de la baie de Tomales, au nord de San Francisco, quand elle s’est trouvée cernée par une mer de champignons parmi les plus dangereux du monde: des amanites phalloïdes. «Impossible de poser le pied par terre sans en écraser, raconte-t-elle. C’était une infestation totale.» 

La scène s’est déroulée il y a vingt ans, quand Anne Pringle, aujourd’hui mycologue à l’université du Wisconsin à Madison, faisait des recherches à l’université de Californie à Berkeley. En dépit de cette prolifération, la rumeur disait que ce champignon mortel n’avait pas pour origine la côte californienne. Six ans et de nombreux séquençages génétiques plus tard, la scientifique a démontré qu’elle était fondée: l’amanite phalloïde présente en Amérique du Nord était une envahisseuse, sans doute venue d’Europe. 

Aujourd’hui implantées à des milliers de kilomètres hors de leur aire de répartition originelle, les amanites phalloïdes provoquent la majorité des intoxications dues à des champignons. Leurs puissantes toxines s’attaquent au corps humain six heures à peine après ingestion, provoquant des douleurs abdominales, des nausées et des vomissements qui, faute de traitement, peuvent entraîner une insuffisance hépatique mortelle. 

Pourtant, cette espèce n’a pas évolué dans le but de tuer des gens. Ce sont des champignons mycorhiziens, dont les « chapeaux », ou carpophores, émergent du mycélium souterrain, qui s’enroule autour des racines des arbres, les aidant à absorber les nutriments. Cette activité intrigue autant qu’elle préoccupe les scientifiques comme Anne Pringle, laquelle souligne notre maigre connaissance du règne fongique et de ce qui se passe quand ces réseaux souterrains se reconfigurent.

Au cours du siècle écoulé, notre monde est devenu plus interconnecté que jamais et les champignons ont été embarqués dans d’innombrables voyages internationaux, accrochés à des plantes importées ou portés par le vent sur des centaines de kilomètres. Aujourd’hui, le changement climatique permet à nombre de ces organismes de prospérer dans des écosystèmes autrefois trop froids et secs. Si nous nous fions au passé, nous ne sommes pas forcément prêts pour ce qui nous attend.

En un sens, le monde des champignons est une mystérieuse dimension terrestre que nous apprenons tout juste à observer. S’ils poussent dans le sol et présentent des « tiges » comestibles comme les plantes, nombre de leurs caractéristiques les en distinguent pourtant. Alors que les parois cellulaires des végétaux sont constituées de cellulose, celles des champignons sont faites de chitine, une fibre que l’on retrouve aussi dans l’exosquelette des insectes et des crustacés. De plus, ils sont hétérotrophes, c’est-à-dire capables de manger d’autres organismes, souvent en décomposant du bois et des végétaux morts grâce à la sécrétion puis à la réabsorption d’enzymes. Sans eux, la flore et la faune mortes s’accumuleraient dans les forêts, et la plupart des arbres peineraient à trouver les nutriments indispensables à leur survie. 

«Ils sont probablement plus proches des animaux qu’on ne le croit», affirme même Rabern Simmons, conservateur au sein de l’Herbier de l’université Purdue, dans l’Indiana. Depuis plus d’un milliard d’années, ces organismes ont évolué de manière à vivre dans des milieux spécifiques, parfois en coopération avec une seule autre espèce. Mais, quand l’un d’eux est déplacé ailleurs, à des dizaines, voire à des milliers de kilomètres, ces relations complexes peuvent s’emballer. «Il en résulte un désordre parfait pour les champignons pathogènes», explique Stephen Parnell, épidémiologiste à l’université de Warwick, en Angleterre, qui modélise la propagation des maladies touchant les végétaux

Les champignons recourent à diverses stratégies de reproduction pour survivre. Portées par le vent, les spores de plusieurs espèces peuvent se mélanger dans un nouvel habitat; les champignons peuvent aussi fusionner les filaments, ou hyphes, qui forment leurs mycéliums ; mais, si besoin, beaucoup recourent simplement à la reproduction asexuée. 

Dans un contexte où les climats et les paysages évoluent à une vitesse record, souligne Stephen Parnell, ces caractéristiques reproductives confèrent aux organismes fongiques une adaptabilité unique, mais aussi inquiétante. Dans de nouveaux milieux, des champignons non indigènes peuvent se propager très vite et transformer la topographie des alentours.

Réchauffement climatique : « d’ici 2100, la moitié des glaciers auront disparu »

En 2022, pour la première fois, la chaleur de l’été a provoqué l’amincissement des glaciers au sommet du massif du Mont-Blanc. Partout dans le monde, la fonte des glaciers continentaux s’intensifie. En jeu : l’élévation du niveau des mers, et la déstabilisation des ressources en eau douce. Quelles sont les dynamiques à l’œuvre, et quels massifs glaciaires sont en sursis ? Entretien avec Étienne Berthier, glaciologue au Laboratoire d’études en géophysique et océanographie spatiales (Legos, Toulouse) et Romain Hugonnet, glaciologue à l’université de Washington.

Antarctique : « nous devons comprendre ce qui brise les plateformes glaciaires »

Si certaines des plus grandes plateformes flottantes issues des glaciers géants de l’Antarctique devaient se détacher, la mer s’élèverait de plusieurs mètres. Le glaciologue Richard Alley, qui étudie de près la façon dont elles se démantèlent, nous explique où en est la recherche et pourquoi il est vital de prendre de vitesse cette terrible menace.

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