This digest compiles the latest from Mashable.
Today’s Mashable Roundup
Apples new, super powerful MacBook Pro might arrive soon
We know that Apple is working on new versions of its MacBook Pro laptop computer. The company launched a new 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 chip in October, but never followed through with a more powerful, 16-inch version.
Now, however, the company might have dropped a clue as to when the new 16-incher will arrive, and it lies in the company’s recently launched Creator Suite.
The Creator Suite is a subscription package that bundles a bunch of video and audio tools aimed at professionals, including Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. It’s launching on January 28, and therein lies the clue.
According to Macworld, this could very well also be the date the company plans to launch new MacBook Pro devices. Why? Well, because Apple does often launch pro-grade software tools in connection to pro-grade hardware devices.
Furthermore, January 28 is a Wednesday, and that is typically the day in the week (besides Tuesday) when Apple launches new hardware.
Of course, all of this is speculation, and we will know whether it’s true when Apple says so.
As for what kind of hardware we can expect from Apple on the date, we’ll probably get the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, powered by the new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. These probably won’t bring any massive architectural changes; they’ll simply be faster and more powerful than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the regular M5 chip.
TikTok says the era of delulu is over. Its time to lock in to reality.
Maladaptive daydreamers, I have some bad news. TikTok just released its annual TikTok Next trend forecast for marketers in 2026, and the headline takeaway is blunt: fantasy is out — and reality is in.
In TikTok’s telling, 2026 will be less about fantasizing your way out of life and more about intentionally engaging with it. After years dominated by “romanticizing,” “delulu,” and digital escapism, users are shifting toward discipline, routine, and shared accountability as ways to cope with an increasingly unstable world.
TikTok frames this moment as a turn toward collective processing of life’s chaos. Instead of aestheticizing adulthood from afar, users are documenting what it actually takes to get through it. Trends like #TheGreatLockIn, alongside rising keywords such as #lockedin, #hygiene, and #joblife, point to a growing appetite for structure, maintenance, and realism.
This doesn’t mean joy is gone. It means joy is being redefined. Rather than cinematic fantasies or perfectly curated lives, users are finding satisfaction in progress, consistency, and small, tangible wins. Content that acknowledges both the highs and the lows, and finds humor in imperfection, is now resonating more deeply than polished escapism.
In other words, the fantasy era may be coming to an end, but reality is gaining its own aesthetic. And daydreamers, look, we still have Heated Rivalry. That counts for something.
Lighten up: 2026 is the year of the ultra-ultraportable Windows laptop
Last year at the Consumer Electronics Show, a solidly built Windows laptop that weighed just over two pounds was an exciting and novel concept. The 2.18-pound, Qualcomm-powered Asus Zenbook A14 took tech’s biggest showcase by storm as the thinnest and lightest Copilot+ PC in the world at the time. Among other accolades, it clinched our Best of CES award in the laptop category for its feathery yet rigid design, pretty OLED display, and all-day battery life. Even Oprah was a fan.
Soon, the Zenbook A14 won’t be an outlier: Almost every PC maker had an exceptionally thin and light model in tow at CES 2026. Like the Zenbook A14, which got a subtle next-gen update (and a sibling), the new laptops have premium magnesium alloy chassis, OLED displays, and builds that hover around 2.2 pounds. They make the 2.7-pound Apple MacBook Air feel chonky.
If 2025 was the year of the ultra-thin phone, then 2026 is shaping up to be the year of the ultra-ultraportable Windows laptop.
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
Most of these super-svelte Windows laptops run on new Intel Ultra Core Series 3 chips, which offer broader app compatibility than ARM-based Qualcomm models and promise up to 27 hours of battery life. The refreshed Zenbook A14 and the new HP OmniBook Ultra 14 will come with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X2 chips, and the former is rated for up to 35 hours of stamina. (The 2025 model held out for about 22 hours in our testing.) The OmniBook’s spec sheet just lists “multi-day” battery life for now.
Stay tuned for final pricing and availability info for most of these CES laptops — and brace for impact, as the ongoing RAM shortage is expected to jack up costs. We hope to test as many of them as possible in the near future.
Acer Swift Edge 14 AI
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
Acer’s new ultra-ultraportable offering features a 14-inch 2K or 3K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, “multi-day” battery life, and up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor. Its chassis is made from a stainless steel-magnesium alloy that meets the U.S. MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability standard, yet it comes in at just 2.18 pounds and 13.9 millimeters thin. There’s a laser-etched geometric design on its lid, but it’s otherwise a humble little silver laptop. Look for it sometime in Q2.
Asus ExpertBook Ultra
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
Asus’ new 14-inch business laptop is configurable with up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 Series 3 processor, Intel’s new high-end chip, and it comes standard with a 3K tandem OLED display featuring a variable 120Hz refresh rate and a matte finish. (Sort of like Apple’s nano-texture upgrade for the MacBook Pro, but it doesn’t cost extra.)
Impressively, it only weighs 2.18 pounds and measures 10.9 millimeters thin, yet it manages to cram in a haptic touchpad; Asus’ rep told me that there’s a divot in its battery to make room for it.
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
The ExpertBook Ultra features a wind tunnel-like thermal design with large fans that can spin slowly for minimal noise. The chassis itself is made from a strong magnesium-aluminum alloy that has a “Nano Ceramic” coating, which is also used in airplanes and Formula 1 cars, the rep said. It’s a slightly different material than the Ceraluminum on the Zenbook A14, but it uses the same bonding process and is also scratch-resistant.
Asus’s rep said the EliteBook Ultra “will be on the upper end of the price spectrum.” It doesn’t have a launch date yet.
Asus Zenbook A14 (and A16)
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
Asus has given my beloved MacBook Air rival a minor next-gen rework. The 2026 version of the 14-inch, Ceraluminum-clad Zenbook A14 will have a new Snapdragon X2 Elite chip with more AI processing power, up to 35 hours of battery life, thinner bezels, 24GB of base RAM, and a new matte keycap coating. It still starts at just 2.18 pounds and 13.5 millimeters thin with a 2K 60Hz OLED display.
The Zenbook A14 is also getting a 16-inch counterpart. The new Zenbook A16 will be the first next-gen laptop to market with the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, Qualcomm’s most powerful processor yet. It will have a 3K 120Hz OLED touchscreen and an extra SD card reader slot, and it will only weigh 2.65 pounds — making it nearly an ounce lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air and over half a pound lighter than the 15-inch model. It should get at least 21 hours of battery life.
Asus hasn’t set a price or release date for either Zenbook A-series size yet.
HP EliteBook X G2i
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
The new HP EliteBook X G2 series of 14-inch business laptops includes a lightweight clamshell-style Intel model (the G2i) with an Atmospheric Blue chassis that’s mostly made of magnesium. It’s only 2.2 pounds and measures 14.4 millimeters in the back, but only 9.2 millimeters in the front. It comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 or 7 processor (in business or consumer configurations), an anti-glare 3K 120Hz tandem OLED display, and a haptic touchpad. Its price will be announced closer to when it goes on sale in February.
HP OmniBook Ultra 14
Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable
This 14-inch consumer model from HP has a forged (read: very strong) anodized aluminum chassis with gorgeous metallic accents around its edges; it’s a really stylish and elegant machine. It’s the only model on this list that doesn’t weigh 2.2 pounds or less — it comes in at 2.81 pounds — but it deserves a spot because of how skinty it is.
Measuring 10.7 millimeters in the back and just 7.4 millimeters in the front, it’s the thinnest laptop I saw at CES 2026. Come to think of it, it just might be the thinnest laptop I’ve seen, like, ever.
The OmniBook Ultra 14 is configurable with an Intel Core Ultra 3 chip in Eclipse Gray and Silk Sand finishes, or with a Snapdragon X2 Plus or Elite chip in Stone Blue. All variants have a 3K OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz variable refresh rate. Its pricing and release timeline aren’t available yet.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
“Whoa.” That’s what one of my coworkers said when he first held the 14-inch Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition in Lenovo’s private showroom. It’s 13.9 millimeters thin and a mere 2.15 pounds, making it the lightest laptop we encountered at CES.
It’s equipped with a 2.8K 120Hz POLED (flexible Plastic OLED) display and up to a top-tier Intel Core Ultra X9 Series 3 processor. It also has a “Force Pad” trackpad that you can draw on with a stylus (sold separately). Its magnesium alloy chassis comes in fingerprint-resistant Cosmic Blue and Seashell finishes.
This one actually has an estimated price point: It’s slated to start at $1,649 when it drops this June.
Honorable mention: Dell XPS 13
Credit: Dell
Dell’s new XPS 14 and XPS 16 don’t come with discrete graphics anymore, so they’re way slimmer than the previous generation. (Haven’t you heard? XPS is back from the dead.) But Dell promises its thinnest, lightest, and cheapest XPS laptop ever in a forthcoming 13-inch model, which will come in under 13 millimeters. For reference, the 2023 XPS 13 weighed 2.6 pounds, measured 15.3 millimeters thick, and started at $1,299.99.
Dell showed a prototype of the XPS 13 to me behind glass in its CES showroom, and while I can’t tell you anything about it yet, I can confirm it’s real and set for release later this year. I will point out that the early product photo Dell provided appears to show an island-style keyboard rather than the XPS line’s traditional lattice-style keyboard. If that makes it to production, it will look very MacBook Air-y.
How to watch Senegal vs. Egypt online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free on Channel 4. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has been everything we wanted it to be. We’ve seen some incredible fixtures, magical individual performances, and passionate stadiums, and we’re not done yet. Senegal take on Egypt in the first semi-final matchup. All eyes will be on Mohamed Salah as he looks to lead his side into another final.
That’s not going to be an easy task. Senegal have scored 11 goals in the five games they’ve played so far. They’re stacked with talent, including Salah’s old teammate Sadio Mané. This is going to be an evenly-matched contest between two talented and motivated squads.
If you want to watch Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Senegal vs. Egypt?
Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on Jan. 14. This fixture takes place at the Tangier Grand Stadium.
How to watch Senegal vs. Egypt for free
Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is available to live stream for free on Channel 4.
Channel 4 is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock Channel 4 to stream AFCON for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Senegal vs. Egypt for free by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
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Visit Channel 4
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Watch Senegal vs. Egypt for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of AFCON without actually spending anything. This obviously isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Senegal vs. Egypt (plus more 2025 Africa Cup of Nations fixtures) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for Channel 4?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Channel 4, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including the UK
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
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Fast connection speeds free from throttling
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Up to 10 simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Watch Senegal vs. Egypt in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free with ExpressVPN.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 14, 2026
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you’re a shopaholic.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
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Yellow: Locked
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Green: Buyer
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Blue: Precipitation
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Purple: Quiet
Here are today’s Connections categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
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Yellow: Fixed
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Green: Receiver of goods or services
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Blue: Starting with weather conditions
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Purple: Silent ___
Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s Connections #948 is…
What is the answer to Connections today
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Fixed: FAST, FIRM, SECURE, TIGHT
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Receiver of goods or services: ACCOUNT, CLIENT, CONSUMER, USER
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Starting with weather conditions: FROSTY, MISTY, RAINMAKER, SNOWMAN
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Silent ___: AUCTION, MOVIE, PARTNER, TREATMENT
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today’s puzzle.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.
NYT Strands hints, answers for January 14, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re always hype.
Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: “Oh boy!”
The words are related to elation.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe being exhilarated
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is Let’s Do This.
NYT Strands word list for January 14
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Fervent
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Eager
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Zealous
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Let’s Do This
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Excited
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Enthusiastic
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s Games page has more hints, and if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Strands.
Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 14, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you’re dodgy.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
To divert.
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter A.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
AVOID
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is now below market value on Amazon
TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is currently available for $107.94 at Amazon. That’s 34% off its list price.
We’ve been seeing some much-needed price cuts on trading card game products lately. Most have been for Pokémon TCG, so it’s nice to see Magic: The Gathering joining in. As of Jan. 14, the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is priced at $107.94 on Amazon. That’s $57.06 off its current list price and down to below market value.
The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box includes 30 Play Boosters, each containing 14 cards plus a Token or Art card. Within each pack, you’re guaranteed one Traditional Foil, along with one to four Rare or higher cards, and there’s even a small chance of pulling a Special Guest Mythic Rare with Borderless artwork. It’s not something you should expect, but it’s a nice bonus if luck’s on your side.
Play Boosters are designed to work just as well for opening packs as they are for Limited formats, making this box a solid option whether you’re drafting with friends, building decks, or simply adding to a collection.
You can get money off other Magic: The Gathering booster boxes right now, with the MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box on sale for $104.97 and the Play Booster Box for Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man expansion down to $104.99 at Amazon.
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on January 14
We’re nearing the end of the current lunar cycle, with just a few days of visibility left. However, there’s still a sliver visible tonight, so grab your binoculars or telescope and see what you can spot.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Wednesday, Jan. 14, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 17% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
With no visual aids tonight, you should be able to spot the Aristarchus Plateau. This is positioned to the far left of the moon, in the middle. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, it’ll be the right side of the moon. If you have a pair of binoculars or a telescope, these will help you to see the Grimaldi Basin.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will be on Feb. 1. The last full moon was on Jan. 3.
What are Moon phases?
Moon phases are what make up the lunar cycle, a phase that NASA tells us takes about 29.5 days. This is the time that the Moon takes to complete a full orbit. As it moves around Earth, it goes through a series of eight distinct phases. The same side of the Moon always faces our planet, but the sunlight hitting it changes depending on its position in orbit. This is why the Moon can sometimes appear full, partially lit, or completely dark. The eight phases that make up the lunar cycle are:
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
Jimmy Kimmel lambasts Trumps claims that anti-ICE protests are fake riots
Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have spread across America, demanding justice after the killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis last week.
But as Jimmy Kimmel noted in his monologue on Tuesday night, Donald Trump gave a speech in at the Detroit Economic Club this week in which he “attempted to convince those in attendance that the protests in Minneapolis are not real,” calling these very real demonstrations “fake riots.”
“First, they want us to believe that we did not see what we all saw happen overnight,” said Kimmel in the clip above. “Now he wants us to believe the protests aren’t real. It’s like The Emperor’s New Clothes in reverse; he’s telling us we’re the ones who are naked while they do their best to cover everything up.”
Meanwhile, fellow late night host Stephen Colbert also spent time during his monologue unpacking the Trump administration’s deployment of thousands of federal immigration agents in Minnesota, despite Minneapolis officials urging them to leave.
The Pokémon TCG: Charizard ex Special Collection is now under $60 at Amazon
TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Charizard ex Special Collection is now $57.99 at Amazon, bringing it closer to market value at 11% off.
In light of Pokémon TCG’s supply-and-demand issues, the best way to get a good price on booster packs can be with collections that include special promo cards bundled in. As of Jan. 14, the Pokémon TCG: Charizard ex Special Collection is available to buy for $57.99 at Amazon; that’s $6.91 off its current list price of $64.90.
For that price, the Charizard ex Special Collection gives you a mix of multiple Pokémon Trading Card Game boosters and promo cards, including:
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Dark-type Charizard ex etched foil promo card
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Charmander and Charmeleon foil promo cards
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Five mixed Pokémon TCG booster packs
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Oversized lenticular version of the Charizard ex card
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Code card for Pokémon TCG Live
Individual booster pack prices for each of those expansions currently sit at around $10-$15 each across Amazon and TCGplayer, so you’ll be effectively gaining three gorgeous promo cards from the Charizard evolution line (plus an oversized card) for the same price.
Against market price, this Amazon price for the Charizard ex Special Collection is still around $8 higher, but it’s important to factor in shipping costs and convenience. On TCGplayer, for instance, the lowest-priced listing sits at $69.97, plus shipping.
For another great deal on trading card game collections, you can pick up the Fall 2025 edition of the Pokémon TCG: Collector Chest for $37.10 at Amazon. If you’re only after one particular set from the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the Mega Evolution ETBs are closer to market price right now at Amazon.
Stephen Colbert says Trump is clearly invading Minnesota
The Trump administration has over 2,000 federal immigration agents in Minnesota, with 1,000 more to be deployed by the Department of Homeland Security, despite local officials in the city of Minneapolis urging them to leave.
On The Late Show Tuesday night, host Stephen Colbert called it out: “So he’s clearly invading Minnesota. Has anyone told him that they don’t have oil? Because the best he’s going to get is 50 million barrels of cream of mushroom soup.”
Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have spread across America after the killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis last week, which Colbert called “just the latest and most horrifying abuse of that great city by Homeland Security.”
“If you’ve been on social media, you’ve seen all the terrible activities these officers have been up to, pulling people from vehicles, raiding homes and schools, both threatening and then delivering violence,” said Colbert during his monologue, then turning to a viral clip doing the rounds on social media. “You may also have seen this, an ICE officer running on the sidewalk and then absolutely eatin’ duke.”
Can the Apple Watch Series 11 actually support marathon training?
The Apple Watch Series 11 isn’t just a fantastic smartwatch, it’s a top fitness tracker too.
If your goal this year is to run a half marathon or the whole thing, this watch is ideal for helping to track your progress, monitor your heart rate, and plan your workouts. It’s obviously not a dedicated running watch like Garmin’s Forerunner range, but this watch has plenty of features to guide your training and keep you motivated along the way.
Why the Apple Watch Series 11 is a great running aid
The Apple Watch Series 11 thrives as a lifestyle watch. If you have an iPhone, the connection between the two is seamless, especially when it comes to notifications and phone calls. But it’s also built with incredible fitness tracking metrics, like built-in GPS (for accurate distance, pace, and route mapping), heart rate monitoring, and cadence tracking. All of these stats make for a very happy runner, covering that basics you’ll want to track when training for any race, including a marathon.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
It also comes with training support in the form of the Workout Buddy. This uses a text-to-speech model to generate personalized pep talks based on voice data from an Apple Fitness+ trainer to keep you motivated during your workout. It’s like having a coach in your ear. There’s also the Training Load function that shows you how much stress your workouts are putting on your body over time. It makes it easier to see when you can push yourself and when you might need to take it easy, helping you avoid overtraining. It also has built-in pacing alerts and split notifications that will help to keep you in your target range during workouts. The Series 11 also measures your VO₂ max (a stat that shows how efficiently your body uses oxygen during exercise) to track your aerobic improvement over time.
If you’re looking for daily workout suggestions, this is lacking on the Apple Watch. If you want recommendations on types of runs based on your fitness and recovery levels, the Garmin Forerunner 55 and other running-specific watches will give you that.
Extended battery life is what keeps me going back to Garmin, but the Apple Watch Series 11 can keep up. The Apple Watch Series 11 can last up to 24 hours of normal use, so it’ll comfortably get you through a long training day or a series of runs. Plus, with fast charging, just 15 minutes on the charger gives you up to eight hours of use, so it’s easy to top up between sessions.
Can the Apple Watch Series 11 support marathon training?
The Series 11 is a great choice of fitness tracker if you want the stats to assist your training as well as lifestyle features. Built-in GPS, training support, and heart rate monitoring all give you the information you need to see how you’re training. And Apple’s “close your rings” feature might be the push you need to tick off your training plan.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
The lack of personalized daily workouts is worth noting, but as a fitness tracker, the Apple Watch Series 11 still has a lot going for it in this space.
Where to buy the Apple Watch Series 11
The Apple Watch Series 11 can be purchased at many large retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/product/06Jiu1idzpE3nectoqKmziO/hero-image.fill.size_256x256.v1763585432.jpg "Mashable Digest: January 14, 2026 97")
New Lego Star Wars Smart Play sets have landed — preorders are live now at Amazon
Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing
Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing
Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter
CES is always one of the most exciting weeks in the world of tech. This year we got announcements of new smart glasses, a $9,000 smart purse, and plenty of robots. But on a more practical level, we got a major Lego upgrade with the arrival of Lego Smart Play sets.
We didn’t need another reason to be obsessed with building Lego sets, but the Danish brand has gone ahead and provided it. The Lego Smart Play system introduces an interactive aspect to a build with sounds, lights, and behaviors that add a new layer of fun. Plus, all you need to enter this new realm is a single Smart Play brick.
Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth attended the Lego announcement ahead of the official CES kickoff in Las Vegas. Lego demonstrated highlights of the new smart bricks and Beck Werth wrote, “With a single smart brick, the CES demo brought Lego creations, characters, and playsets to life. Lego cars revved their engines, a Lego duck quacked and even snored when placed on its side, and a Lego airplane pilot exclaimed ‘woah!’ to being flipped upside down.”
Lucky for us Star Wars fans, the new Smart Play sets debut with a Star Wars theme. The three builds launch the first two days of March and they’re all available for preorder at Amazon. Here are the details.
Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing
The largest of the Lego Star Wars Smart Play builds takes us back to an iconic scene from Return of the Jedi. The 962-piece Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing recreates the legendary Luke Skywalker lightsaber battle with Darth Vader. But unlike a standard Lego build, this Smart Play set will hum like a real-life lightsaber battle would. The set also comes with five Lego Smart Tags which add to the interactive experience with extra lights and sounds.
Credit: Mashable
Each Smart Brick battery life is about 45 minutes and the set comes with the charger you’ll need to continue playing. The Star Wars build comes with a release date of March 1.
Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing
Enter Luke’s world with this 581-piece build that’s a great showcase of the new Lego Smart Play features. A Smart Play block on Luke’s X-Wing means it’ll come with lifelike sounds and lights like engine sounds, lights, and even repair noises. Smart Luke Skywalker and Smart Princess Leia minifigures are on hand for more interactive and responsive play.
Credit: Mashable
The Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing comes with a price of $89.99 and has a release date of March 1.
Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter
The most affordable of the new Lego Star Wars Smart Play sets is Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter build with a price tag set at $69.99. The set has 473 pieces which features Darth Vader, his TIE Fighter, a fuel station, a Rebel Fleet Trooper, and more. In terms of the smart features and interactive additions, you’ll get motion-activated engine sounds, lights, and laser-shooting because it simply wouldn’t be Star Wars without those sounds. It also has refueling and repair sounds for the TIE.
Credit: Mashable
Like the other Lego sets, this comes with a March 1 release date. This set is designed for Lego builders aged eight and up.
How to qualify for the new and exclusive Lego Mini Pokémon Center
TL;DR: Lego Insiders can exchange Insiders points for the Mini Pokémon Center. Points are available to redeem from Feb. 27, while stocks last.
The release of the first-ever Lego Pokémon sets has naturally caused a stir. Whether or not you like what you see, you just know that these sets are going to sell like mad. We regularly see huge interest in anything released by Lego and Pokémon, so any sort of collaboration between these two brands was always going to send the world into a frenzy.
There are three main sets in this initial launch, featuring fan-favorites Pikachu, Eevee, Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise in Lego brick form. That’s where most of the focus has been directed since preorders went live on Jan. 12, but there’s more for fans to consider if you cast your net a little wider.
From Feb. 27, Lego Insiders can redeem 2,500 Lego Insiders points for the brand-new Mini Pokémon Center. This member-exclusive build is filled with mini-scale details inspired by all the different versions of the Pokémon Center from the Pokémon games, including sliding doors that open and close using lever functions, a healing station, seating area, and PC. It’s recommended for ages 18+ and contains 233 pieces.
Not already a Lego Insider? Don’t panic, you can sign up here for free.
This set is available in select markets, while stocks last. Members will get a code to add to their next order. The code is valid for 60 days and must be entered during checkout in the field labelled “enter promo code.”
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select is back on sale — save $15 right now
SAVE $15: As of Jan. 14, the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Select is on sale for $24.99 at Amazon. That’s a 38% discount on the list price.
The Amazon Fire Stick 4K Select is the newest in the line-up. It’s a simpler, more budget-friendly option in the 4K range, offering all the essentials for streaming without the extra bells and whistles of the 4K Plus. And as of Jan. 14, this streaming device has its first discount of 2026, taking the price from $39.99 to $24.99.
The set up is as easy as it is with other Fire TV Sticks. Just plug it into your TV’s HDMI socket, power it from a wall outlet, and you’re ready to start streaming. Use the included Fire TV remote (which will now be the only control you need for your TV) to power on your TV and you will be greeted with the Fire OS home screen. It’s an easy to use system, and you’ll find all your favorite shows and movies in one place, ready for you to watch. Not to mention, with the 4K Select, you’ll be watching in 4K Ultra HD, complete with HDR10+.
The remote also comes with an Alexa button. Hold this down to ask questions, search for a particular show, or even use it to start your robot vacuum or turn your smart lights on or off.
Get this Fire TV Stick deal at Amazon.
The limited edition of Assassins Creed Shadows has dropped to its lowest-ever price on Amazon
TL;DR: Assassin’s Creed Shadows — Limited Edition is now half price at Amazon. Get the game on PS5 for $34.99, down from $69.99.
Amazon has recently been having what seems to be clearance sales on its exclusive editions of certain games, including Star Wars Outlaws. And now the Assassin’s Creed series is following suit. As of Jan. 14, you can now buy the Amazon-exclusive Assassin’s Creed Shadows – Limited Edition for $34.99; that’s a huge 50% discount on its launch price of $69.99.
Along with the AC Shadows base game, Amazon’s Limited Edition comes with some decent-looking bonus accessories via the Naoe Sekiryu Character Pack:
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Naoe Sekiryu Gear Set
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Naoe Eye of the Dragon Katana Weapon
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Dragon Tooth Trinket
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Sekiryu Beast Mount
The Sekiryu Beast Mount is purely cosmetic with no added gameplay benefits, but it looks great with the rest of the set for an intimidating ensemble. What’s more, this is the lowest price this particular version of AC Shadows has ever been listed for on Amazon, and most likely won’t be at this price point again — since it looks like the retailer might be trying to clear out its extra stock.
Even for just the base game, $34.99 is more than worth it for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, considering all the value you get out of it. As mentioned in our review of AC Shadows, this is the best entry from the long-running Ubisoft series to come out in years — with a gripping story and dual gameplay split between paired protagonists Yasuke and Naoe.
It was a bit buggy at launch, but the various updates implemented since have more than fixed that, and finally getting to play as a titular Assassin in the beautiful land of Japan won’t leave you disappointed.
For more amazing deals on PS5 games, you can also grab the Silent Hill 2 remake at 45% off. The hit Battlefield 6 is also on sale, now available for around $40 on PS5 and Xbox.
The Fire TV Stick HD is on sale for $22 at Amazon — save over $10 right now
SAVE OVER $10: As of Jan. 14, the Fire TV Stick HD has been marked down to $21.99 at Amazon. This is a 37% discount from its list price of $34.99.
Looking ahead, 2026 already has a great lineup of TV shows and movies to watch, which is exciting news for those of us who love streaming. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your streaming setup this year, Amazon is dropping some great deals on its Fire TV streaming devices. This lineup includes a deal on the Fire TV Stick HD, which is down to $21.99 for a limited time.
Amazon usually has the Fire TV Stick HD listed for $34.99, so this deal saves you $13 overall. If you’re only looking to have Full HD picture quality and don’t feel the need to splash out on fancy 4K, this streaming stick is well worth grabbing for under $25.
Alongside its support for 1080p Full HD picture quality, the Fire TV Stick HD comes with 8GB of storage for all of your favorite streaming apps. With the help of Amazon’s Alexa, you can use your voice to search for something new to watch through the Alexa Voice Remote. If you already have an HD TV, this is a great fit.
Treat yourself to a new streaming setup this year. Grab the Fire TV Stick HD on sale for $21.99 at Amazon.
If you’re looking to pick up a streaming device that can handle 4K picture quality, Amazon’s also offering a deal on the Fire TV Cube at the moment. Act fast to pick up your preferred option.
Elon Musk: Tesla FSD will soon become subscription-only
Still on the fence about purchasing Tesla‘s Full Self-Driving (FSD) package? You’ll have to decide quickly, as FSD will soon become available only through a subscription.
CEO Elon Musk announced the news via X on Wednesday. “Tesla will stop selling FSD after Feb 14. FSD will only be available as a monthly subscription thereafter,” he tweeted.
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This gives Tesla owners a month to make a decision on buying FSD outright and own it forever.
The FSD package is currently an option for some Tesla vehicles; if you’re buying a Model 3, a Model Y, or the All-Wheel Drive variant of Cybertruck, it will cost you an additional $8,000. With other models, including all variants of the Model S and the Model Y, as well as the Cyberbeast version of the Cybertruck, it’s included in the price.
Currently listed as Full Self-Driving (Supervised), the FSD is a set of driving assistance features that will make your car able to “drive itself almost anywhere with minimal driver intervention,” according to Tesla. The company notes, however, that the “currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous,” and that some features are “dependent on development and regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions.”
In other words, and despite Musk’s promises that FSD will turn your Tesla into a self-driving car, this hasn’t happened yet. The situation is even worse in Europe, where most FSD features aren’t available due to regulatory hurdles, though the company has recently begun testing FSD in some European countries, including Germany.
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Musk has long claimed that FSD will make your Tesla a money-maker, as it will become fully autonomous and you will be able to have it ferry other passengers when you’re not using it. He also blew past his own deadlines for this happening many times in the past, leaving owners of older Tesla vehicles, which don’t have the latest HW4 hardware, in limbo – despite promises that their cars will be able to support fully autonomous driving.
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for January 14, 2026
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times‘ revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player’s flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
Here are the clues and answers to NYT’s The Mini for Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026:
Across
Abruptly stop texting
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The answer is Ghost.
Shaving kit item
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The answer is Razor.
2024 film role for which Mikey Madison won Best Actress
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The answer is Anora.
The ancient Chinese used compressed blocks of tea leaves as this
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The answer is Money.
Shape of a round chart
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The answer is Pie.
Down
Dad’s dad, informally
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The answer is Gramp.
Capital of Vietnam
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The answer is Hanoi.
___ layer, part of Earth’s atmosphere
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The answer is Ozone.
How you might wake up after sleeping funny
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The answer is Sore.
Cafeteria food carrier
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The answer is Tray.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Mini Crossword.
How is Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 different from the books?
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is setting course for the Sea of Monsters, and just like in Season 1, there are bound to be a few adaptation changes ahead.
Whether it’s adding new characters or tweaking major book events entirely, some of these changes from Rick Riordan’s original books fall flat, while others enrich the world of the show. Here are all the biggest changes between Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 and The Sea of Monsters. We’ll be updating every week, so be sure to come back for more adaptation breakdowns.
Episode 1: Grover meets new characters, like Alison Simms.
Credit: Disney / David Bukach
Season 2 kicks off with Percy having a nightmare about Grover in danger, just like The Sea of Monsters does. However, there are some key differences: Grover isn’t in Florida, meaning we don’t get him running into St. Augustine Bridal Boutique. (Don’t worry, though, the show doesn’t abandon the wedding dress storyline.) Instead, he’s in the jungle, where he meets a crew of demigods like Alison Simms (Beatrice Kitsos). They’re new characters who have allied themselves with Luke (Charlie Bushnell) and Kronos, meaning Percy and his crew will have even more rogue demigods to contend with.
Episode 1: Basically everything about Tyson is different.
Credit: Disney
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 introduces Tyson (Daniel Diemer), Percy’s Cyclops half-brother. In the books, he is unhoused, and while he attends Meriwether College Prep with Percy, no one gives him any extra support outside of school. That changes in the series, as Sally Jackson (Virginia Kull) meets him while volunteering at a shelter, takes him in, and gets him into Meriwether. That means she and Percy already know he’s a Cyclops, as opposed to in the book, where the Mist disguises his true nature to Percy.
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I’m always happy to see Sally get to showcase her kindness and empathy, and I’m intrigued by whether she’s aware of Tyson also being Poseidon’s (Toby Stephens) son. Based on her telling Percy that they might have more in common than they think — hence the “two sides of the same coin” talk — it seems like she’s got a pretty good idea, giving her more investment in Percy and Tyson’s relationship.
Another big change with Tyson is how he speaks. In The Sea of Monsters, he has a more childlike speech pattern, as Cyclops age more slowly than humans. Here, though, he sounds like any of the other characters. Perhaps this was a case of the book dialogue simply not translating well to screen, for fear of infantilizing or stereotyping Tyson. Still, it seems like book Tyson’s loyalty and enthusiasm carry over into show Tyson.
Episode 1: The Laistrygonian giant dodgeball scene gets a big change.
The Sea of Monsters opens with a monster attack in the form of a deadly gym class. Laistrygonian giants posing as visitors from Detroit sneak into Meriwether and wreak havoc during a dodgeball game, hurling fireballs at Percy, Tyson, and their classmates. Percy Jackson and the Olympians moves this fight scene from Meriwether to Camp Half-Blood, with the Laistrygonians ambushing Percy, Tyson, and Annabeth on their way to camp. In moving the scene, the attack winds up replacing the book’s Colchis Bull fight.
While there’s still a fiery dodgeball element to the Laistrygonian sequence, it misses a lot of the charm from the book’s version. Gone are the Laistrygonians’ weak disguises, along with the name tags reading Joe Bob, Skull Eater, and Marrow Sucker. These disguises, along with the high school setting of the scene, are a huge part of the appeal of Riordan’s series in the first place: seeing Greek mythology transposed into our day-to-day world. I understand wanting to fold two monster attacks into one due to time and budget constraints, but there’s still a lot lost when you rip away one of the defining elements of the book series.
Episode 1: Chiron is fired for different reasons.
Rounding out the biggest changes from episode 1 is Chiron’s (Glynn Turman) firing from Camp Half-Blood. In the show, he’s fired because he’s the son of Kronos, which makes the Greek gods wary about his allegiances. The book takes it a step farther: In The Sea of Monsters, Chiron’s connection to Kronos makes him a prime suspect in the poisoning of Thalia’s (Tamara Smart) tree. He’s already fired by the time Luke poisons the tree in the show, though. Percy sees Luke attack the tree in person, furthering the animosity between the two.
Episode 2: Whoa, there’s a lot of drama between Percy and Annabeth.
Credit: Disney / David Bukach
Percabeth shippers, buckle up, because this episode delivers so much angst. Chiron reveals the Great Prophecy to Annabeth before telling her that she can’t let Percy go on any quests. Cue Annabeth planning to sabotage Percy in the chariot race should it come down to the two of them. Later, she suggests she go on Clarisse’s (Dior Goodjohn) quest for the Golden Fleece without Percy. All of this is new, and it’s stressful, adding more distrust between the pair.
Despite all the new twists in how the quest comes together, the end result is the same: Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson set out for the Sea of Monsters. However, Percy and Annabeth are more at odds than ever before, setting a more adversarial tone for the quest ahead.
Episode 3: Percy Jackson and the Olympians shows off a different side of Clarisse.
Credit: Disney / David Bukach
Episode 3 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 makes a few tweaks to Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson’s encounter with Luke aboard the Princess Andromeda, getting new characters like Alison involved, and even having Tyson set off a bomb in totally badass fashion.
The biggest change in the episode, though, is that we get more of Clarisse’s perspective as she sets out on her quest. We witness firsthand her trip to the Oracle, along with her father, Ares (Adam Copeland), gifting her a ship and a zombie crew. Unlike in the book, these are losing soldiers from a vast variety of wars, as opposed to simply Confederate soldiers. For a number of reasons… Good call, Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
But Ares’ gift is a double-edged sword. He immediately undermines her field experience to the soldiers and threatens Clarisse should she fail. Dad of the Year, he is not. That scene fuels Clarisse’s insecurities heading into her mission, which only get worse as the soldiers repeatedly ignore her.
By the episode’s end, though, she’s won them over by promising them a place in Elysium once they die. Is this a check she can actually cash? I’m not sure yet. However, her rousing speech is proof of her burgeoning leadership skills. Plus, seeing Clarisse actually struggle with the beginning of her quest is something we don’t get much of in The Sea of Monsters, beyond a tense conversation Percy overhears between her and Ares. That’s one of the benefits of a TV adaptation that isn’t a book narrated in first person: We get to take in other perspectives. As a result, Clarisse gets more layers this episode, and Goodjohn gets to truly shine as a more prominent member of Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ ensemble.
Episode 4: Percy Jackson and the Olympians gives us flashbacks to Annabeth, Luke, and Thalia’s journey to Camp Half-Blood.
Credit: Disney / David Bukach
Following in the footsteps of episode 3’s focus on Clarisse, episode 4 continues Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ trend of showcasing new, non-Percy perspectives. This time, we get that in the form of flashbacks to Annabeth’s time traveling with Luke and Thalia (Tamara Smart), daughter of Zeus (Courtney B. Vance), to Camp Half-Blood. A dangerous encounter between young Annabeth and a band of Cyclopes prompts Thalia’s decision to find sanctuary at Camp Half-Blood, as opposed to continuing to live life on the road. In Annabeth’s mind, this was the fatal decision that led to Thalia’s death on the edges of camp. If she hadn’t been captured by the Cyclopes in the first place, then Thalia would still be alive.
The actual Cyclopes encounter plays out differently in the show than in the books, which saw 7-year-old Annabeth saving a trapped Luke, Thalia, and Grover from a Brooklyn-based Cyclops’ house of horrors. That fateful meeting led to Annabeth’s deep hatred of all Cyclopes. However, in the show, Annabeth’s ire is directed less at the Cyclopes, and more at herself for getting captured in the first place and slowing Thalia and Luke down. It’s a poignant shift, one that emphasizes her survivor’s guilt. It also gives us our first look at Smart in action as Thalia, getting us ready for Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ Season 3 adaptation of The Titan’s Curse.
Episode 4: The Scylla and Charybdis fight gives Clarisse a moral crisis.
Just like in the books, Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and Clarisse face off with Scylla and Charybdis in order to enter the Sea of Monsters. But the show adds in a trolley problem-esque twist, courtesy of Annabeth’s battle strategy. To get past Scylla, all Clarisse needs to do is sacrifice six of her men, one for each tentacle. Should she knowingly send these soldiers to their doom in order for guaranteed success? Or should she try her original plan of getting past Charybdis?
In the end, Clarisse follows Annabeth’s plan. Yet the guilt of sacrificing her crew members overwhelms her, and she joins them on deck. Once again, the added depth to Clarisse works wonders here. It’s great to see that as she’s stepped up in terms of importance, the show has stepped up just as much in terms of letting audience members into her inner world.
Episode 5: Percy Jackson and the Olympians mashes up Circe and the Sirens.
Credit: Disney / David Bukach
Episode 5 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians mashes up two key encounters from The Sea of Monsters, those with sorceress Circe (Rosemarie DeWitt) and the Sirens. Here, instead of immediately turning Percy into a guinea pig the way she does in the books, Circe tries to keep Percy and Annabeth at her island resort with the promise that she can train them — and the other many demigods staying on her island — to get past the Sirens. Of course, she’s lying and merely trying to keep people around to avoid the loneliness she’s experienced for centuries.
The end result of the Circe encounter is the same: She turns Percy into a guinea pig, Annabeth saves him, and the two leave the island. But along the way, we get a new perspective on a legendary antagonist of Greek mythology, as well as some fascinating discussion of Percy and Annabeth’s fatal flaws. As far as adaptation changes go, I’m not mad at it — especially since we still get to see Percy in guinea pig form.
Episode 5: That encounter with the Sirens looks way different.
Percy and Annabeth’s meeting with the Sirens looks nowhere near how it looks in The Sea of Monsters. In the book, Percy plugs his ears with wax and ties Annabeth to the mast, as she wants to hear what the Sirens have to sing. In the show, after some drama about ear wax, Percy winds up on the mast, but Annabeth still falls under the Sirens’ spell.
Annabeth’s vision differs between page and screen. In the book, she sees herself having a picnic with her father and Luke in a New York that she’s designed. The show features a vision of Grover needing her to solve conflict between Luke and Percy, which then gives way to another vision of Annabeth slaying the Sirens and impressing her mother, Athena (Andra Day).
As for Percy’s vision? All he says he saw was Annabeth, which grounded him and led him to save her. But if his ears weren’t blocked, and the Sirens’ songs show you your greatest desire, and all he saw was Annabeth… Then that means for Percabeth fans, this sequence was a treat.
Episode 5: Clarisse and Grover team up against Polyphemus.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians introduces the unlikely team-up of Clarisse and Grover, who try to work together to escape Polyphemus’ (Aleks Paunovic) cave. While their partnership isn’t something we get to see in the books due to Percy’s first-person narration, it’s fun to witness in the show. The real switch-up here, though, is the reveal that thanks to his sense of smell, Polyphemus has known who Grover is the whole time. Plus, he’s been using him as bait to lure Percy Jackson to his island. That’s new territory for the show to tread, so what’s Polyphemus’ endgame?
Episode 6: Luke crashes the Golden Fleece party.
Several elements of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, episode 6 differ from The Sea of Monsters, from Polyphemus planting a decoy Golden Fleece to Hippocampus Rainbow’s late introduction. But the biggest difference is undoubtedly Luke’s arrival on Polyphemus’ island. While he never shows up there in the book, his appearance there in episode 6 creates one of the show’s most fascinating moral dilemmas.
In their skirmish with Polyphemus, Annabeth and Percy get separated. He winds up trapped in Polyphemus’ cave with Clarisse and Grover, while Annabeth gets injured just outside it. Luke discovers her there and realizes she’s dying. The only thing that can save her is the Golden Fleece inside the cave. Percy realizes that if he gives it to Luke, he’ll save Annabeth but doom the quest to save Camp Half-Blood. Even knowing that, he does it anyway.
The whole sequence is a show-only creation, but it’s a strong payoff to the discussion of Percy’s fatal flaw from episode 5: He cares so deeply for his friends that he will always put them first, no matter the cost. What consequences will Percy’s choice have as the show heads into episode 7?
Episode 7: The entire Annabeth rescue mission is new.
Credit: Disney / David Bukach
Episode 7 follows a similar shape to the climax of The Sea of Monsters: Percy fights Luke onboard the Princess Andromeda, and Clarisse, true to the prophecy, flies back to Camp Half-Blood alone with the Golden Fleece. However, the actual events leading up to these broader arcs are wildly different. For one, there’s the added element of Percy needing to rescue Annabeth. Plus, Clarisse is actually around for the fight, whereas in the book, Percy sends her to the airport with the Fleece before crossing paths with Luke again.
All these shifts allow for a greater emphasis on ties that bind our group of demigods together, especially the newfound respect and friendship between Percy and Clarisse. As sweet as these changes wind up being, part of me does miss the chaos of Chiron and his Party Pony relatives crashing the boat and saving the day, even if creating a centaur stampede would have been in no way practical from a VFX and budget standpoint. You know what makes up for that, though? Seeing Sally Jackson come back to give Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson a ride back to Camp Half-Blood. Any time she brings out her exasperated demigod mom energy is a good time.
Episode 7: Annabeth realizes the Golden Fleece can save Thalia.
The Sea of Monsters ends with the twist that the Golden Fleece didn’t just restore the protective barrier around Camp Half-Blood — it also brought Thalia back to life. However, in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Annabeth gets a vision that the Fleece could accomplish this, adding even greater personal stakes to getting the Fleece back to Thalia’s tree as soon as possible.
Fascinatingly, it turns out that Kronos has kept the possibility of Thalia’s revival from Luke. But The Sea of Monsters implies that Luke knew the Fleece could bring Thalia back. After all, Kronos wanted her alive again so he could have another child of the Big Three gods with a chance of fulfilling the Great Prophecy. The show’s version of Kronos not telling Luke this crucial fact suggests that he doesn’t fully trust him, sowing some seeds of discord between Luke and the Titan he’s pledged himself to.
Episode 7: Kronos orders a battle at Camp Half-Blood.
Speaking of Kronos, he plays a bigger role in episode 7 because the Golden Fleece speeds up his return from Tartarus (at least, before a very sassy Percy snatches it off his casket). That role includes pushing Luke to fully attack Camp Half-Blood as a new test of loyalty, hinting at a finale battle that isn’t in The Sea of Monsters at all. How will this new climax play out in episode 8?
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+, with a new episode every week.
How to watch the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations online for free
TL;DR: Watch the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free on Channel 4. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
There is quite simply no tournament like the Africa Cup of Nations. It’s an electric combination of heated rivalries, colorful fans, and flair that is sometimes lacking from elite competitions. We know that the eyes of the footballing world are already fixed on the 2026 World Cup, but this incredible tournament should whet the appetite of fans before the main event next summer.
The likes of Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, Sadio Mane, Bryan Mbuemo, and Victor Osimhen have been battling it out in Morocco. Now we’re approaching the dramatic conclusion of this tournament.
If you’re interested in watching the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.
What is the Africa Cup of Nations?
The Africa Cup of Nations (or AFCON) is the main biennial international men’s association football competition in Africa. 24 teams are drawn into six groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams advance to the knockout rounds.
The defending champion is Ivory Coast. Egypt is the most successful nation in the tournament’s history, winning seven times and securing three consecutive titles in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
When is the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations?
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is the 35th edition of the competition. This year’s event takes place from Dec. 21 to Jan. 18 in Morocco.
How to watch the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is available to live stream for free on Channel 4.
Channel 4 is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can stream the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free by following these simple steps:
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Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
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Connect to Channel 4
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Watch the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch AFCON without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for Channel 4?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like Channel 4, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including the UK
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
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Fast connection speeds
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Up to 10 simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free with ExpressVPN.
When in Westerosi history does A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms take place?
With A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, HBO continues to build out its roster of Game of Thrones spin-offs. But as its slate of Westeros-set series grows more crowded, so, too, does the Westerosi timeline.
So, how does A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms fit into the history of Westeros? Let’s break it down, from the basic timeline to the exact dates for all you history hounds out there.
When does A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms take place?
In the simplest terms, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place in between the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. As a bridge between the two series, it offers up a new onscreen perspective of Westeros. The other shows see the Seven Kingdoms at war for the Iron Throne. Here, though, the Targaryens rule during a time of relative peace.
It’s during this peace that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on the Dunk and Egg novellas by George R.R. Martin, unfolds. Season 1 adapts the novella The Hedge Knight, which tells the tale of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his new squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) as they venture to the tourney at Ashford Meadow to earn coin and glory.
Good to know, but what are the exact dates for each Westeros show?
To get more granular with it, HBO’s current selection of Game of Thrones spin-offs span a little under two centuries.
House of the Dragon is first up in chronological order. It details the war for succession between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and her half-brother Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), which became known as the Dance of the Dragons. That civil war lasted from 129 to 131 AC (after Aegon I Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros).
Next up in the timeline is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The novella The Hedge Knight takes place in 209 AC, so 78 years after the end of the Dance of the Dragons. A lot has happened in Westeros since then, but the most crucial thing to know is that there are officially no more dragons. The last Targaryen dragon died in 153 AC, and with its loss, the ruling family’s revered, almost god-like status as dragon riders has faded.
Last but not least is the show that started it all: Game of Thrones, which begins in 298 AC. That means A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place a little under a century before Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) begins her quest to take back the Iron Throne.
Despite the many decades between A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and Game of Thrones, their stories may share some overlapping characters. Prince Aemon Targaryen (Peter Vaughan), the Wall’s Maester in Game of Thrones, is serving at the Citadel in Oldtown during the events of the Dunk and Egg novellas. And Brynden Rivers, also known the Three-Eyed Raven, makes an appearance in the third Dunk and Egg novella, The Mystery Knight.
These overlaps likely won’t come up in Season 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but they are helpful when putting together the puzzle pieces of the wide world of Westeros.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres Jan. 18 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
Start 2026 strong with this deeply discounted Microsoft Office license
TL;DR: Give yourself a whole new set of tools with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC, now just $99.97 (reg. $249.99).
If you need to get motivated in 2026, sometimes all it takes is a new set of tools. That’s what the Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC lifetime license offers, giving your computer five essential apps to help you tackle both personal and professional tasks. Right now, you can get them all for only $99.97 (reg. $249.99).
If you didn’t find a new computer under the tree this Christmas, you can gift yourself the next best thing with this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business license. It works on both Mac and PC, so anyone can use it. It outfits your device with a suite of five helpful apps geared toward helping you tackle all the tasks that come your way in 2026 and beyond.
Curious what’s included with this version? It starts with the classics — Word to help you draft a document, Excel to handle all your spreadsheet needs, and PowerPoint to ensure you make a lasting impression with your presentations. You’ll also have access to Outlook, which keeps your communications organized, and OneNote, which digitizes your note-taking process.
This 2024 version includes new features like presentation recording with voice narration and video in PowerPoint, AI-powered writing suggestions in Word, enhanced data analysis and visualization tools in Excel, and an updated accessibility checker in Outlook.
This lifetime license gives you permanent access to these five game-changing apps, with no subscription fees. You can also work offline, as your purchase lets you download the apps directly to your device.
Give yourself a productivity boost with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC for only $99.97 (reg. $249.99).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Turn your iPhone or iPad into a scanner for less than $40
TL;DR: Scan anything, anywhere with a lifetime subscription to the iScanner App, now only $39.99 (reg. $199.90).
We may not always have access to a bulky scanner, but our smartphone or tablet is likely close at hand. iScanner App transforms your iPhone or iPad into a portable scanner that can digitize documents anywhere, and right now you can lock in a lifetime subscription for just $39.99 (reg. $199.90).
It’s surprising how often we need to scan things in 2026. If you’re looking for a more convenient way to scan things for work, school, or personal reasons, the iScanner App is ready to help. It lets you digitize physical documents from anywhere, transforming your iPhone or iPad into a scanning device.
Need to submit your signature? Looking to save a handwritten note? Do it in seconds with iScanner. Just point your device’s camera at whatever you would like to scan. The app’s AI-powered features handle the rest — it detects and adjusts the document’s borders to give you a top-quality scan without distortions.
After scanning, edit in the app using color-correction and noise-removal tools. You can then save it as a PDF, JPG, DOC, XLS, PPT, or TXT. PDF files can also be edited with the iScanner App, which offers tools to sign, add text, or auto-fill documents. There are also scanning modes for text translation, object counting, measurements, and more.
If letting you scan and edit PDFs wasn’t enough, iScanner App also works as a document manager that organizes your scans into handy folders. Use the convenient drag-and-drop feature to sort them, and lock folders and files with a PIN for privacy.
Secure your own lifetime subscription to the iScanner App, now $39.99 (reg. $199.90).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
16 of the best MIT courses you can take online for free
TL;DR: A wide range of online courses from MIT are available to take for free on edX.
This feels like a poorly kept secret at this stage, but in case you weren’t already aware, there’s a massive bank of free online courses sitting on edX. And we’re not talking about any old online courses. We’re talking about online courses from some of the biggest educational institutions in the world, including MIT.
MIT is hosting free lessons on useful topics like AI, Python programming, investing, and so much more. There’s a lot on offer, so we’ve got you started with a hand-picked selection of the best free online courses from MIT. These are the best free online courses from MIT this month:
These free courses do not come with a shareable certificate of completion or graded assignments/exams, but that’s the only catch. You can start learning at a pace that suits you, so there’s nothing stopping you from getting started.
Find the best free online courses from MIT on edX.
Webb telescope zooms in on a black holes messy feeding zone
Astronomers using NASA‘s James Webb Space Telescope have mapped where dust collects around a nearby supermassive black hole — and found that almost all of it sits in a compact ring feeding the object.
The study focuses on the Circinus galaxy, about 13 million light-years away in space. Webb’s sharp imaging made out relatively small parts of the center of the galaxy, allowing researchers to distinguish material falling in from the dust getting pushed out.
This ring, called a “torus,” acts like both a fuel line and a gatekeeper: It funnels material toward the black hole while shaping how energy escapes into the surrounding galaxy.
The discovery overturns decades of assumptions. Astronomers previously thought streams of hot matter, or outflows, produced the galaxy’s brightest infrared light. But Webb’s new observations, published in the journal Nature, reveal that roughly 87 percent of the glowing dust is concentrated in the dense disk feeding the black hole, while less than 1 percent comes out, essentially as exhaust.
“Since the ’90s, it has not been possible to explain excess infrared emissions that come from hot dust at the cores of active galaxies, meaning the models only take into account either the torus or the outflows, but cannot explain that excess,” said Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez, based at the University of South Carolina and lead author of the study, in a statement.
Black holes are some of the strangest objects in the universe. Their gravity is so intense that nothing, not even light, can escape. It wasn’t that long ago that astronomers debated whether they even existed. Now black holes are firmly established science — and we can see them, sort of.
In 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope captured the first image of a black hole, located 53 million light-years away in the Messier 87 galaxy. It captured the glowing debris surrounding it, which makes the dark center — the black hole itself — visible by contrast.
A black hole flares when gas, dust, or even a star ventures too close. Gravity tears the material apart, and as it spirals in, it heats up and emits a bright light before disappearing.
To separate the disk of Circinus’ black hole from its exhaust, astronomers used Webb’s Aperture Masking Interferometer on its Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph. That’s a long name for a tool that turns Webb into a mini telescope array, combining light through a mask of seven small openings to produce interference patterns. These patterns are then used to reconstruct sharp images of tiny, previously hidden features.
“By using an advanced imaging mode of the camera, we can effectively double its resolution over a smaller area of the sky,” said co-author Joel Sanchez-Bermudez, a National University of Mexico astrophysicist, in a statement. “This allows us to see images twice as sharp.”
The team’s findings mark the first time scientists have used a space infrared interferometer for a target outside the Milky Way. Researchers say this technique can now be applied to other black holes, helping to determine whether Circinus has the exception or the rule when it comes to its black hole’s behavior.
“We need a statistical sample of black holes, perhaps a dozen or two dozen, to understand how mass in their accretion disks and their outflows relate to their power,” Lopez-Rodriguez said.
18 of the best AI courses you can take online for free
TL;DR: A wide range of AI courses are available to take for free on Udemy.
The world of AI is constantly developing. If you’re feeling the need to keep pace with this ever-changing landscape, there are a number of online courses you can take. You can learn all about chatbots, AI agents, and machine learning with Udemy. And better yet, a number of the best online courses are totally free.
There’s a lot to consider on Udemy. We recommend taking some time to properly check out all the options, but to get you started, we’ve lined up a selection of standout courses on AI:
These free online courses don’t include certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging, but you still get unrestricted access to all the video content. That means there’s nothing stopping you from enrolling righy away.
Find the best free AI courses on Udemy.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is reduced further at Amazon — save over $300
SAVE OVER $300: As of Jan. 14, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is on sale for $1,087.86 at Amazon. That’s a 23% discount on the list price.
Looking for a new smartphone? How about one that made our list of the best smartphones in 2025? The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a great option for most people, described by our reviewer as having an “excellent all-around performance.” And even better yet, as of Jan. 14, it’s on sale for its best-ever price.
With a discount of over $300 ($332.13 to be specific), the price is now down to $1,087.86. This deal is specific to the titanium gray model, but for a little more you can also get the titanium whitesilver, titanium silverblue, and titanium black models.
And this phone really is stacked with helpful features, including Now Brief that gives you the information you need before you even know you need it. The camera is also impressive, benefiting from AI features like the Audio Eraser which minimizes unwanted background noise in videos. It also has advanced portrait features that preserve natural skin tones and textures for professional-looking photos.
It also comes with Samsung’s most powerful processor yet, the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, so you’ll be getting a super smooth and fast performing phone. And the Smart Switch feature makes setting up your new phone nice and easy. With minimal effort from you it will transfer all your photos, apps, contacts, messages, and more.
Pick up deal on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra now.
Stranger Things fans accuse Duffer Brothers of using ChatGPT to write finale
Stranger Things fans are accusing the Duffer Brothers of using generative AI to write the show’s fifth and final season. The speculation arose after viewers believed they spotted AI chatbot ChatGPT open on the creators’ laptops in behind-the-scenes documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5.
The Stranger Things finale brought the series to an end late last month, wrapping up the popular retro sci-fi show after almost a decade. Unfortunately, the show’s conclusion left many viewers dissatisfied, taking to social media to complain that the grand finale felt anticlimactic and unrewarding.
Some fans thought they’d found an explanation for their disappointment when One Last Adventure premiered Monday on Netflix. Covering the production and filming of Stranger Things‘ final season, the documentary featured footage of the Duffer Brothers working on its scripts. This included shots of their laptop screens as they worked on scripts, which displayed multiple tabs open in their internet browsers (apparently Stranger Things was written in Google Docs).
While most websites displayed seemed relatively innocuous, one particular shot showed several blurry tabs potentially featuring round monochrome icons. Said tabs are too out of focus to be positively identified, and could easily belong to any number of different websites. Even so, Stranger Things fans quickly began speculating that they may have been ChatGPT icons.
The theory was further fuelled by the documentary’s revelation that Stranger Things‘ fifth season hadn’t been completely written when production began. While far from a smoking gun, fans considered this a potential indication that generative AI was used to hasten scriptwriting along.
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Responding to fans’ speculation, One Last Adventure‘s director Martina Radwan cast doubt on whether the blurry tabs were actually ChatGPT, and stated that she hadn’t seen Stranger Things‘ writers use generative AI in ways she’d consider unethical. However, she also expressed the belief that it shouldn’t matter if the Duffer Brothers did use ChatGPT, as it’s fine for creatives to utilise generative AI as a tool.
“Well, there’s a lot of chatter where [social media users] are like, ‘We don’t really know, but we’re assuming.’ But to me it’s like, doesn’t everybody have [ChatGPT] open, to just do quick research?” Radwan said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
“[N]obody has actually proved that it was open. That’s like having your iPhone next to your computer while you’re writing a story. We just use these tools… while multitasking. So there’s a lot going on all the time, every time.”
Despite Radwan’s assertions, not everyone agrees. Fans have acknowledged that there is no clear evidence that ChatGPT was used to write Stranger Things‘ scripts, and that the Duffer Brothers could easily have been using the AI chatbot for other matters (if they were even using it at all). Even so, many also object to the use of generative AI to research, outline, brainstorm, or plan scripts. As such, potentially having ChatGPT open in the same browser being used to write Stranger Things has left viewers suspicious.
“Wasn’t Season 5 filming delayed because of the WGA strike? That would be pretty ironic, considering that regulating AI is just one of the things the WGA is fighting for,” wrote reddit user u/Swordman86.
“I cannot for the life of me understand this sudden and enthusiastic desire by people to insert AI into nearly every part of their work and life,” u/ Kreol1q1q posted. “Jesus if you are a writer, don’t you take pride in the work you do? Why would you let a moronic glorified chatbot into the thing you are skilled at, and valued for.”
“Even if there were no AI tabs open, the writing for S5 was so bad that in my head-canon they almost exclusively used AI off-screen anyways,” said u/pat_the_catdad.
Mashable has reached out to Netflix for comment.
End of today’s Mashable roundup.
