Amaterasu イタチ

The Battle has been Cancelled due to inactivity!

Alphawave says it has taped out one of the industry's first chips(opens in new tab) made using TSMC's N3E fabrication technology, the second generation of a 3nm-class process node. The chip has been produced by TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) and has successfully passed all the necessary tests. It will be demonstrated at TSMC's OIP forum later this week. The chip in question is the Alphawave IP ZeusCORE100 1-112Gbps NRZ/PAM4 Serialiser-Deserialiser (SerDes) that supports numerous standards set to be po[CENSORED]r in the coming years. That includes 800G Ethernet, OIF 112G-CEI, PCIe 6.0, and CXL3.0. The SerDes is said to support extra-long channels to enable flexible connectivity solutions for next-generation servers. "Alphawave is proud to be among the first to utilize TSMC's most advanced 3nm technology," said Tony Pialis, president and CEO of Alphawave. "Our partnership continues to bring innovative, high-speed connectivity technology that will power the most advanced data centers, and we are excited to showcase these solutions at the TSMC OIP Forum event." TSMC intends to introduce five 3nm class process technologies in the next two or three years. The first generation vanilla N3 node is expected to be used for a few designs by TSMC's alpha customers (read: Apple), whereas the second generation N3E will feature an improved process window, which means faster time to yield, increased yields, higher performance, and lower power. N3E is expected to be adopted considerably more widely than vanilla N3, but its mass production is scheduled to start in mid-2023 or Q3 2023, about a year after TSMC initiates high volume manufacturing (HVM) using its N3 production node.Like all Serialiser-Deserialiser chips, Alphawave IP's SerDes is a relatively small piece of silicon that can take advantage of a leading-edge process technology. Such designs can be used as a "pipe cleaner" to learn the peculiarities of the manufacturing node. To that end, it makes perfect sense for Alphawave to make its ZeusCORE100 on TSMC's N3E process. After TSMC begins N3E HVM next year, it plans to offer three more 3nm class nodes, including performance-oriented N3P, N3S fabrication technology for chips that need high transistor density, and N3X manufacturing process for performance-demanding applications, such as microprocessors.Anton Shilov is a Freelance News Writer at Tom’s Hardware US. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends. LINK

Bayonetta 3 is the highly anticipated third installement in the stylish Bayonetta series made by Platinum Games. Ahead of Bayonetta 3's October 28 release, critics have released their reviews. We've rounded up some of their thoughts on the witch's next adventure, and if you're on the fence, maybe they can help you decide whether or not to purchase the game. For a comprehensive overview, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.GameSpot - 9/10 "I'm not sure whether it's because of the game's fantastic music, the use of the word 'verse' to refer to encounters, or her over-the-top style, but when I think of Bayonetta I can't help but imagine her as a popstar. Bayonetta 3 feels like her Las Vegas residency: a lavish and spectacular show where each number is beautifully choreographed, every song is a banger, and the guest appearances are sure to delight. It’s a fast-paced and joyous adventure that achieves its goals with an abundance of charisma and style. While it might have taken the better part of a decade to get here, the queen is back, and she's ready to serve." -- Jessica Howard [Full Review] Game Informer - 8.25/10 "Bayonetta 3, for the vast majority of its runtime, is an absolute blast. It's bombastic, over-the-top, and extravagant for the sake of extravagance, leaving ruins, literally, in its wake. I'm already going back through each level trying for better scores, and I have no immediate plans of stopping. I may be hesitant about the series' future, but at present, this is the best Bayonetta has ever been. " -- Blake Hester [Full Review] GamesRadar+ - 3.5/5 "When the witch takes charge, this demonic fighter is better than ever. After eight long years, PlatinumGames has delivered a sequel which successfully celebrates the series, although it does have problems with pacing and a split-focus." -- Oscar Taylor-Kent [Full Review] Inverse - 8/10 "Bayonetta 3 delivers everything that franchise devotees and action game lovers could possibly want. You get a responsive, layered combat system and entertaining cutscenes. Unintuitive mini-games and obtuse challenges muddle the overall experience, but still, I’d be hard-pressed to name another game from this year with more in-depth and satisfying real-time combat than this one." -- Jess Reyes [Full Review] The Gamer - 4 / 5 "Bayonetta 3 is like your party animal friend on a night out. When it starts out, it feels like the most fun you've ever had, you'll remember it for a lifetime, you never want it to end. Then as it goes on you've lost track of where you are, your feet hurt, you just want to go to bed, and she's still going. Too much game is never a bad thing for some 'pennies to enjoyment ratio' players, but Bayonetta 3 overstays its welcome and dips from being an all-time classic to just being a very, very good video game. It's not the all-time top five Switch game that I think it might have been with a few different decisions here and there, but it's still a must-play title." -- Stacey Henley [Full Review] The Verge - Unscored "When Bayonetta first came out, everything about her--her extreme sexuality, the way she dressed, her exaggerated movements--became this incisive parody about female video game characters. Bayonetta leaned so hard into those old stereotypes of the male-gaze-defined video game heroine that they became her strength. Her sexiness makes her powerful. It’s right there in the text, because the harder she fights, the more naked she becomes. She delighted in this empowerment and so delighted me for a whole decade before the last 30 minutes of Bayonetta 3 erased all of that to fit her into the box she once stomped on in four-inch, gun-strapped heels back in 2009. " -- Ash Parrish [Full Review] Polygon - Unscored "I don’t know what to tell longtime Bayonetta fans about this game, let alone the newcomers hoping to come aboard with this installment. If all you care about is button-ramming combat that’s similar to Devil May Cry, you’ll have a ball. But if you ever wanted to believe that there was something deeper to Bayonetta’s story--some grander statement about femininity and sexuality and power dynamics--you’ll find the truth to be quite a disappointment. Viola did tell me at the very beginning of this game that it would reveal this fundamental truth to me. I only wish I could have lived in ignorance for a little while longer." -- Maddy Myers [Full Review] VG247 - 5/5 "As a game, and as a tonic for people sick of buying season passes and DLC, Bayonetta 3 is an essential romp; a love-letter to classic Nintendo games that delight in making you laugh, smirk, and feel like an absolute badass. PlatinumGames has misfired a little lately, but with this fitting conclusion to the original Bayonetta trilogy, the studio proves it can still fire on all cylinders and then some. This might just be one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch." - Dom Peppiatt [Full Review] The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot. LINK

The emperor penguin, the tallest and bulkiest of all the world’s penguins, has been officially declared a threatened species by the US government due to the existential risk posed to the birds by the climate crisis. The penguins, which are endemic to Antarctica, face almost complete annihilation from the loss of sea ice over the course of this century, a situation that has prompted the US Fish and Wildlife Service to place it on the endangered species list, it announced on Tuesday.“Climate change is having a profound impact on species around the world and addressing it is a priority for the administration,” said Martha Williams, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. “The listing of the emperor penguin serves as an alarm bell but also a call to action.” Emperor penguins can stand up to 4ft tall and are famed for their extreme parenting methods, with pairs of males and females taking turns to shelter their eggs in brutally cold conditions while the other forages for food. While the penguins have an almost comically ambling gait on land, they are skilled operators on the sea ice and water where they hunt for fish and crustaceans. The waters around and beneath the sea ice are important to the penguins as an area for feeding and the ice itself is essential as a place for the animals to rest, to shelter during their annual molt and to escape from predators. But the loss of sea ice, due to global heating, threatens the habitat of these penguins, while ocean acidification is diminishing the supply of krill, a key food source. The changes under way in the Antarctic threaten a regular repeat of situations such as the recent collapse of the second largest known emperor colony, when more than 10,000 chicks died in 2016 in Halley Bay when sea ice broke up early. The chicks were not yet ready to swim properly and drowned. The colony has yet to recover. The emperor penguin colony po[CENSORED]tion at Point Géologie, which was featured in the film March of the Penguins, has declined by nearly 50% since the 1970s.These sort of disasters are set to cause a 99% decline in the total emperor penguin po[CENSORED]tion by the end of this century, compared with its historical size, should planet-heating emissions not be drastically reduced, researchers have found. The penguins are not able to adapt in time to the pace of change in their environment. While no emperor penguin in the wild lives on US territory, the new endangered species listing should push forward international conservation measures for the species, help reduce industrial fishing that depletes the penguins’ food source and place scrutiny on American sources of greenhouse gases that are causing the melting of polar ice. The US government has previously listed the polar bear, the ringed seal and various species of coral on its endangered species list due to the threat of the climate crisis. “This is a big win for these beloved, iconic penguins and all of us who want them to thrive,” said Shaye Wolf, climate science director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “At the same time, this decision is a warning that emperor penguins need urgent climate action if they’re going to survive. The penguin’s very existence depends on whether our government takes strong action now to cut climate-heating fossil fuels and prevent irreversible damage to life on Earth.” … we have a small favour to ask. Millions are turning to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially. We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action. In these perilous times, a truth-seeking global news organisation like the Guardian is essential. We have no shareholders or billionaire owner, meaning our journalism is free from commercial and political influence – this makes us different. When it’s never been more important, our independence allows us to fearlessly investigate, challenge and expose those in power. Support the Guardian from as little as $1 – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you. LINK

Starting at $41,045 and ranging up to $53,445 for the loaded 340-hp Platinum model, the Crown pushes Toyota's top sedan model into luxury territory. The Toyota Crown is a new sedan model for 2023 that replaces the Avalon. It starts at $41,045 and ranges up to $53,445 for the top Platinum model. The Crown will start reaching U.S. dealerships in early 2023. Toyota is aiming high with the new 2023 Crown sedan, both literally—it’s significantly taller than the Avalon large sedan that it replaces—and figuratively, as it’s priced on the high end of the automaker’s lineup, with the loaded model topping $50,000. The Crown is available in three trim levels: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, and all versions come standard with all-wheel drive and hybrid powertrains.The Crown XLE starts at $41,045 and comes with a hybrid setup that uses a 2.5-liter gasoline engine and makes a total of 236 horsepower. That starting price is $3125 more than the 2022 Avalon XLE’s. The Limited starts at $46,645 and adds equipment including a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, an upgraded audio system, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. These versions of the Crown are EPA-rated at 41 mpg combined. The Crown Platinum requires a big jump up to its starting price of $53,445, and it brings on a significantly more powerful hybrid powertrain that Toyota calls Hybrid Max. This powertrain uses a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four gasoline engine, produces 340 horsepower, and is EPA-rated at a significantly lower 30 mpg combined. Added equipment for the Platinum includes adaptive dampers, 21-inch wheels, and an upgraded park-assist system. Toyota says that the Crown will start arriving at U.S. dealerships in early 2023.It's honestly such a strange offering to me. Toyota, Subaru, and Lexus are making some weird stylistic and financial choices. They make me feel like they know something about the US market drastically more than I do, lol. In my opinion, Honda has the crown for right now (pun intended). With standard AWD and a hybrid powertrain, I wouldn’t call it “luxury territory”. The current RX hybrid starts at $49k and the new one, on which the Crown is based, will probably be the same or more. Wow, that trim on the side looks just as stupid as it does on the Porsche Mecan. Go figure. Other than that, it sure is better in white than that horrible two-tone design. Looks like a limo from the future. LINK

LONDON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is swapping his boxing gloves for a microphone with the release of his debut single, a remake of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline", for charity. The 34-year-old British boxer, who has previously sung for crowds at matches as well as dueted with Robbie Williams, will put out the track, a crowd favourite at sporting events, on Nov. 11 in aid of men’s mental health charity Talk Club."'Sweet Caroline' is a record I’ve always loved, and I’m excited to record and release it," Fury said in a statement, noting the single will come out just in time for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. "It’s a great opportunity for me to give something back to mental health and hopefully continue to raise awareness for a cause that’s really close to my heart and if it helps England along the way in the World Cup, well that’s an added bonus.” Fury stunned boxing fans in 2015 when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF, WBA and WBO belts. But he later struggled with mental health and substance abuse which derailed his career. He fought back and has been vocal about mental health awareness. "Boxing has been a massive platform for me to spread the word on mental health and I have done it to the best of my ability," said Fury, who will take on Derek Chisora in December. "It has been widely printed about my highs and lows, ups and downs, so I’ve tried my best to keep talking about it as much as I can and keep trying to smash the stigma." After Mathurin hit a trey with 8:12 remaining, the Pacers trailed 99-90. Harden soon made consecutive treys to make it 109-95 with 5:21 left, and the cushion was large enough for the Sixers to cruise to victory from there. Trail Blazers 135, Nuggets 110 Damian Lillard recorded 31 points, eight assists and six rebounds and Anfernee Simons scored 22 of his 29 points in the third quarter as Portland rallied for a victory over visiting Denver. Jerami Grant scored 21 points for the Trail Blazers, who have opened the season with four straight wins for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.Aaron Gordon scored 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting for the Nuggets, who have split their first four games. Michael Porter Jr. scored 18 points and Bones Hyland added 15. Bulls 120, Celtics 102 DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points, Ayo Dosunmu added 22 and Nikola Vucevic notched 18 points and 23 rebounds to boost Chicago past visiting Boston. The Bulls snapped a two-game skid while stopping the Celtics' season-opening three-game winning streak. After trailing by as many as 19 points in the opening quarter, the Bulls led by 23 down the stretch. LINK

A House progressive leader abruptly withdrew a letter pushing the Biden administration to pursue diplomacy in Russia’s war with Ukraine, an about-face following furious internal backlash from Democrats who felt blindsided by the move just two weeks before the November midterms. The move by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, came after she released a letter – initially signed in June – from 30 liberals calling for more diplomacy, a move that appeared to undercut their party’s resolute support for Ukraine. Releasing the letter this week was not endorsed by most of the members, and some said they would not sign it now given how the war has turned in recent days. After Democratic fury began to emerge publicly, Jayapal contended the letter was released by staff without proper vetting and said it improperly conflated her caucus’ position with GOP divisions over providing more aid to Ukraine aid, which Democrats back. She withdrew the letter after the embarrassing intra-party feud. “The Congressional Progressive Caucus hereby withdraws its recent letter to the White House regarding Ukraine,” Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington state, said in a statement. “The letter was drafted several months ago, but unfortunately was released by staff without vetting. As Chair of the Caucus, I accept responsibility for this.” The public reversal comes amid a backlash from Democrats who criticized the timing of the letter, which was sent on Monday. “People are furious – especially front-liners,” said one senior House Democrat ahead of the letter being withdrawn, referring to the most vulnerable members at risk of losing their seats in the November 8 midterms.Democrats argue that the ill-timed letter undercut their party’s position showing resolute support for Ukraine – at a time when it’s Republicans who are sparring about whether to approve more U.S. aid to Ukraine. Moreover, several Democratic members said they signed onto this letter months ago and were caught off-guard when Jayapal’s office sent the letter out on Monday with their names on it. Some said they wouldn’t sign it again. “Timing in diplomacy is everything,” said California Rep. Sara Jacobs, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus that Jayapal leads. “I signed this letter on June 30, but a lot has changed since then. I wouldn’t sign it today.” Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan, a former leader of the progressive caucus who signed the letter in July, told CNN he found it “puzzling” it was sent out this week after he signed it this summer and added:” “I would not support it being released now.” Releasing it now, he said, “didn’t make much sense.” The letter, signed by Jacobs and 29 other Democrats, praised President Joe Biden’s efforts supporting Ukraine while avoiding direct US involvement on the ground – but they suggested a more forceful attempt at bringing the war to an end through diplomacy is necessary to prevent a long and slogging conflict. link

Russia is accusing Ukraine of planning to use a so-called dirty bomb, an allegation dismissed by Kyiv and its Western allies as a false-flag operation that Moscow could use as a pretext to escalate the Kremlin’s war against its neighbor. A dirty bomb is a weapon that combines conventional explosives like dynamite and radioactive material like uranium. It is often referred to as a weapon for terrorists, not countries, as it is designed to spread fear and panic more than eliminate any military target. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly denied Moscow’s accusations and Kyiv’s foreign minister has invited UN inspectors to visit Ukraine to show they “have nothing to hide.” Here’s what you need to know. What does Russia claim? Without providing any evidence, Moscow claims there are scientific institutions in Ukraine housing the technology needed to create a dirty bomb – and accuses Kyiv of planning to use it. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a briefing on October 24 it has information that shows Kyiv is planning a provocation related to the detonation of a dirty bomb.“The purpose of this provocation is to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction in the Ukrainian theater of operations and thereby launch a powerful anti-Russian campaign in the world aimed at undermining confidence in Moscow,” claimed Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Forces. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made the claim in a call with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on October 23, according to a US official familiar with the conversation. Shoigu also made similar comments to his French and British counterparts. Russia plans to raise its accusations against Ukraine at the UN Security Council on October 25, according to Reuters.Russia’s allegations have been strongly refuted by Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO, which have in turn accused Moscow of trying to launch its own false-flag operation. “Everyone understands everything well, understands who is the source of everything dirty that can be imagined in this war,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address on October 23.The White House said on October 24 it is “monitoring as best we can” any potential preparations for use of a dirty bomb in Ukraine but doesn’t see anything to indicate the imminent use of such a weapon. The UN’s nuclear watchdog said on October 24 it will send inspectors to visit two nuclear locations in Ukraine after receiving a request to do so from authorities in Kyiv. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was “aware of statements made by the Russian Federation on Sunday about alleged activities at two nuclear locations in Ukraine,” according to a news release on the agency’s website. The IAEA did not give the location of the two sites. In a tweet on October 24, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said: “Unlike Russia, Ukraine has always been and remains transparent. We have nothing to hide. link

Nick Movie: Stutz Time: / Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: Netflix Duration of the movie: / Trailer:

Live Performance Title: Taylor Swift - Bejeweled (Official Music Video) Signer Name: Taylor Swift Live Performance Location: / Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video): 8/10

Switch it up. The maximalist manufacturer of gaming hardware announced this week that it is developing a new handheld gaming device with 5G connectivity. The creation is the result of a partnership between Razer, Verizon, and Qualcomm. Verizon execs announced the partnership at the Mobile World Conference event in Las Vegas, Nevada, this week. The handheld will be called the Razer Edge 5G, a name that suggests it is an update to the original Razer Edge that came out in 2013. This new Edge lets users play mobile games locally as well as stream console games and cloud games. The device will use 5G connectivity, which will make it more competitive among handhelds. Regardless, the device will be going up against some big players like the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and even Logitech’s newly announced G Cloud handheld. That’s a crowded market. After all, you can already play mobile games or stream console titles via Xbox and PlayStation online services on your phone. But maybe Razer’s trademark less-than-subtle aesthetics will give it an … edge. No details about price or release date were made public yet. Razer says it will reveal more about the console on October 15. Until then, one can only imagine how bright the RGB lighting will be. Here's some more gadget news. Intel Syncs Up Mac computers have had the ability to sync with iPhones for years. Now, some PCs will be able to do the same. Intel's upcoming Unison app will allow users to access mobile iPhone and Android operating systems on desktop PCs. You can text, make phone calls, and transfer photos or other files between the devices using the software. For now, Intel’s app will only be available on certain newer Lenovo, HP, and Acer laptops, though it could expand out to other brands and models next year. Speaking of Apple … Apple Slows iPhone Production Bloomberg reports that Apple is slowing down production of its flagship product just a few weeks after it announced the newest crop of iPhones. Don’t feel too bad for Apple. The company still plans to make and sell around 90 million iPhones this year. It’s a staggering number, and one that’s in line with sales in years past. Apple just won’t see the sales bump it was hoping for. The rollout of iPhone 14 has been more subdued than expected, perhaps due to the fact that all new iPhones are starting to feel a little samey. The iPhone 14 models are good, they’re just nothing special in a long line of iterative updates from a company that has largely figured out how to do the whole “phones” thing pretty well. It seems Apple’s dynamic island, while being among the most innovative features to come to the product line in years, hasn’t enticed as many customers as Apple wanted. Yes, Chef The people who make smart kitchen tech want you to think that all you need to cook better is an app-connected gadget. But being able to tweet from your fridge or use a touchscreen to tweak your toaster isn’t really a substitute for the good old fashioned practice and patience it takes to make decent food. This week on WIRED’s Gadget Lab podcast, food writer and WIRED contributor Joe Ray joins the show to discuss high tech kitchen gadgets and why the single most useful button in the kitchen is your microwave’s “Add 30 seconds” button. LINK

Nick Movie: 1899 Time: / Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: Netflix Duration of the movie: / Trailer:

Live Performance Title: David Guetta & Bebe Rexha I'm Good (Blue) [Live Performance] Signer Name: David Guetta & Bebe Rexha Live Performance Location: / Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video): 10/10

A European spacecraft has confirmed a report of methane being released from the surface of Mars. The methane spike was first measured by Nasa's Curiosity rover on the surface; now it has been confirmed by the Mars Express orbiter. The nature and extent of methane in the Martian atmosphere is intensely debated. The gas is of interest because terrestrial methane can be made by life forms, as well as geological processes. Methane is only supposed to have a very short lifetime in the Martian atmosphere, so detecting it there means it must have been released very recently. A strong signal of methane was measured by the Curiosity rover on 15 June 2013.The measurement was confirmed in data collected the next day by the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) on board Mars Express. The results from two studies are outlined in the journal, Nature Geoscience. Building blocks of life found on Mars Methane 'belches' detected on Mars Mars probe despatched on methane quest "In general we did not detect any methane, aside from one definite detection of about 15 parts per billion by volume of methane in the atmosphere, which turned out to be a day after Curiosity reported a spike of about six parts per billion," says Marco Giuranna, principal investigator for the PFS. "Although parts per billion in general means a relatively small amount, it is quite remarkable for Mars - our measurement corresponds to an average of about 46 tonnes of methane that was present in the area of 49,000 square kilometres observed from our orbit." At the time of Curiosity's detection, it was thought that the methane might have originated north of the rover (because the prevailing winds were southward), and that the release came from inside Gale Crater, Curiosity's landing location. The team made two independent analyses to home in on potential source regions of the methane, dividing up a wide region around Gale Crater into grids of about 250 by 250 square kilometres.There are a variety of ways methane might be produced on Mars. If microbes still exist, they are one possible source. Methane produced by micro-organisms in the distant past could also get trapped within ice. When the ice melts, it could then release the ancient methane into the atmosphere. But there are geological processes that can produce methane, and don't require biology. These include serpentinisation - a process of mineral alteration in the crust involving heat and water. Methane can be made as a downstream product of serpentinisation. Marco Giuranna suspects the plume didn't originate from Gale Crater. Scientists scrutinised the region around Gale for features where gas seepage is expected. This process is well known on Earth to occur along tectonic faults and from natural gas fields. "We identified tectonic faults that might extend below a region proposed to contain shallow ice. Since permafrost is an excellent seal for methane, it is possible that the ice here could trap subsurface methane and release it episodically along the faults that break through this ice," said Giuseppe Etiope from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Rome, a co-author on one of the studies. "Remarkably, we saw that the atmospheric simulation and geological assessment, performed independently of each other, suggested the same region of provenance of the methane." The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, which is designed to make a detailed inventory of the Martian atmosphere, was launched in 2016. However, it has yet to report its science results. LINK

Amid expectations of high turnout this year, there’s also the fear that some voters could be dissuaded from participating. Welcome to the 2022 midterms – the first major election since former President Donald Trump’s failed efforts to thwart the results of the 2020 presidential contest. Nearly 6 million ballots had already been cast across 39 states as of Friday, according to data from election officials, Edison Research and Catalist. But with just two weeks until November 8, multiple reports of voter intimidation out of Arizona – home to some of this year’s most pivotal contests up and dConsider this: Two armed individuals – dressed in tactical gear – were spotted at a ballot drop box in Mesa on Friday night, according to Maricopa County officials. The pair left the scene when the County Sheriff’s Office arrived. “We are deeply concerned about the safety of individuals who are exercising their constitutional right to vote and who are lawfully taking their early ballot to a drop box,” Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates and Recorder Stephen Richer said in a joint statement on Saturday.There’s reason for concern, especially with candidates who have questioned the results of the 2020 election running as GOP nominees this year – including a full slate of them in Arizona, which became a hotspot of election denialism in the wake of Trump’s loss to Joe Biden in the state. And across the country, there’s concern about how some GOP-controlled county boards run by election deniers will oversee this year’s elections. Read this report from CNN’s Kyung Lah. The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office has already referred to the US Department of Justice and Arizona Attorney General’s Office a separate report of voter intimidation: The unidentified voter reported that they were approached and followed by a group of individuals when the voter was trying to drop off their ballot at an early voting drop box on Monday. CNN on Thursday obtained from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office the report in which the voter detailed the alleged incident. It occurred, the voter wrote, around 6:40 p.m. at the Juvenile Justice Court drop box in Mesa, within Maricopa County. The voter wrote that a “group of people” filmed, photographed and raised accusations against them as they attempted to return their early ballots. The voter wrote that a “group of people” filmed, photographed and raised accusations against them as they attempted to return their early ballots.See for yourself. “There’s a group of people hanging out near the ballot dropbox filming and photographing my wife and I as we approached the dropbox and accusing us of being a mule,” the voter said, adding that the group took photographs of them, their license plate and followed them out of the parking lot. Part of the incident was captured on surveillance video, as seen here. More fuel on the fire. Far from treating these incidents as a wake up call, Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake, who has embraced the politics of Trump’s election falsehoods, said last week that she hadn’t “heard anything about” the initial report, but immediately seized on it to promote a central plank of her campaign. “I haven’t heard anything about it. It just shows you how concerned people are, though. People are so concerned about the integrity of our election and this is another reason, Kate, this is another reason we have to restore integrity,” she told CNN’s Kate Sullivan at a campaign event in Scottsdale. Lake continued, “We can’t have half of the po[CENSORED]tion or more doubting our elections. It’s not impossible to restore honesty and integrity to our elections. And I assure you, when I’m governor, we will do that.” On Sunday evening, Lake again sought to raise doubts about the election system in Arizona with early voting underway. “I’m afraid that it probably is not going to be completely fair,” Lake claimed, without evidence, in an interview with local station AZTV7. She added: “I wish I could sit here and say I have complete faith in the system. I don’t have faith in the system.” LINK

A woman called the RSPCA after a 3ft (90cm) snake tried to get into her bedroom window in Basildon, Essex, this month. Enola Evans, who was sent to remove the creature, having started work with the animal rescue charity only a month earlier, said: “It’s not every day you get woken up by a snake trying to get into your bedroom through a window. The woman was terribly shocked. “By this time, there was no sign of the snake at the window, so the resident gave me permission to search her bedroom in case it had come inside and hidden somewhere warm. But after thoroughly checking bed linen and other possible hiding places in the bedroom, the snake was still nowhere to be found. “As the window had been open for so long, it was getting quite chilly in there, so I decided to shut it. That’s when I spotted something moving. It was the snake, coiled around the window’s rim. He had been very well hidden, so I was really pleased to find him.” It was found to be a corn snake, a non-venomous breed that is sometimes kept as a pet. The snake was moved into a carrier and taken to an expert boarding facility to be cared for until it can be reunited with its owner or put up for adoption. Last year, the RSPCA received 1,219 reports about pet snakes in need of help, including many stray snakes. A high number of calls came in during the summer months, as snakes become more active during hot weather.Evie Button, an RSPCA scientific officer, said: “Snakes are excellent escape artists and will take the opportunity of a gap in an enclosure door or a loose-fitting lid to make a break for it.” … we have a small favour to ask. Millions are turning to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially. We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action. In these perilous times, a truth-seeking global news organisation like the Guardian is essential. We have no shareholders or billionaire owner, meaning our journalism is free from commercial and political influence – this makes us different. When it’s never been more important, our independence allows us to fearlessly investigate, challenge and expose those in power. Support the Guardian from as little as $1 – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you. LINK

Despite still-limited supply, car shoppers are not slowing down. A new survey of over 3300 car owners in the U.S. found that 35 percent are not driving the car they wanted, and the other 65 percent say they are willing to pay up to 39 percent over MSRP to get the car they have their eye on. At current prices, that comes to a markup of almost $19,000. Car shoppers in Idaho are most desperate to get a specific vehicle, willing to pay up to 71 percent over the sticker price. Shoppers in the four states with the lowest rates were only willing to pay an 11 percent markup. The internet is full of tips to help car buyers to not overspend on their new purchases, but it seems like not enough people are putting them to use. Or perhaps the limited supply of new vehicles during the pandemic and the resulting thousands of dollars of dealer markups is causing people to overspend.Whatever the reason, people are paying higher and higher prices for new cars these days, and it turns out we're not happy about it. Shocking. For most of 2022, the average price of a new car was around 10 percent over the official price, with the 15 most po[CENSORED]r models all costing between 18 and 24 percent more than the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), according to iSeeCars. A new survey commissioned by Quantrell Auto Group of 3361 car owners found that over a third of them (35 percent) said they had purchased a vehicle they hadn't intended to when they started shopping. The other 65 percent said they would be willing to spend up to 39 percent over MSRP. Thirty-nine percent. Keeping in mind that an auto dealer group is behind the study and may be surveying people who are really ready to buy, but still: Given that the average new-car price in the U.S. is now over $48,000, these survey results indicate that a whole lot of shoppers may be willing to spend upward of $19,000 over the sticker price to get the vehicle they want. While the intention to pay is different than actually paying the extra money, vehicle prices aren't likely to drop if everyone keeps shopping with that attitude. Some automakers, including Hyundai, Kia, GM, and Ford, have warned their dealers about applying high markups, threatening in some cases to shift allocation to dealers who do not overcharge buyers. In Some Places, Cooler Heads Prevail The nationwide survey revealed significant differences between states. The state that's willing to pay the most over MSRP is Idaho, which sits at an insane 71 percent over sticker. Four states—North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and West Virginia—are willing to pay just a comparatively sane 11 percent over MSRP. There may be some clues in the data that show where vehicles are easier to acquire. The four states with the lowest percentage of car owners driving vehicles they didn't want were Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. LINK

Last week I was at a sustainable fashion event where I got caught in a conversation between two industry experts. They were discussing the recent downpour and whether anyone that lives in a city really needs rain gear made from synthetic fibres. Although the issue is sometimes debated, synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon are considered bad for the environment because they are derived from fossil fuels, they shed microfibres during use and they don’t biodegrade. However, they remain prevalent in technical performance gear for the outdoors. The experts said since most people in cities are only outside for short periods – running to the car or to the train station – it’s not really necessary to own heavy-duty rain gear. Jackets made from wool or waxed cotton would generally suffice these short distances. More technical performance gear is still needed for people who regularly walk and hike long distances. The conversation left me wondering about functional, sustainable raincoats – and if there are any out there. Recycled polyester or nylon One obvious way around the carbon footprint of raincoats made from virgin polyester and nylon is to choose a waterproof jacket made from recycled materials instead. But it’s not quite so simple. Alice Payne, an associate professor in fashion design at the University of Queensland, says: “People are probably already aware that recycled content will not be coming from recycled garments, but rather from other discarded plastic products – so this is an open-loop recycling approach, rather than a closed-loop approach.”Payne explains that it’s much easier to collect and sort plastic bottles than it is to do the same for polyester clothing. “So until those collection and sorting systems are in place, turning plastic bottles into clothing is a one-way journey for that material.” But opting for recycled materials does reduce our reliance on virgin resources. If you need technical gear and want a jacket made from recycled polyester or nylon, Rihanna Knight, founder of Australian outerwear brand Amble, says consumers should look out for “100% recycled fabric that is made from post-consumer waste”. Certification from the Global Recycle Standard is also a good sign. Waxed cotton A natural alternative to synthetic performance materials is waxed cotton. “Cotton is a renewable fibre and, as such, has a sustainability advantage over fibres … like polyester and nylon,” says Payne. Hannah Rochell of British circular clothing brand Rapanui says: “You can achieve waterproofing performance with an organic cotton canvas and a PFC-free water-repellent coating … [It’s] like a modern alternative to the beeswax jacket but much more breathable and way lighter.” Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Knight says the waterproof rating of a waxed cotton jacket will probably not match that of a hi-tech synthetic material, but Rochell says most people “probably don’t need that level of performance”. While a waxed cotton won’t last as long as a synthetic material, Rochell believes “longevity is not always a good thing. A waterproof, weatherproof label sounds brilliant, but when it’s still floating about killing turtles in 10,000 years, that’s not great.”According to Payne, if a waxed cotton coat is well cared for, it can be incredibly durable. “They can last, and they can have finishes reapplied,” she says. Besides, “many synthetic raincoats may have finishes that crack or degrade over time”. Another thing to note is that cotton also comes with an environmental footprint as conventional farming can use a lot of pesticides, fertilisers and water. Choosing jackets made from organic cotton is a way to avoid this. Dense wool While a knitted jumper might not fare well in a rain shower, woven wool or boiled wool with a higher density should keep you dry and warm during a light one. This is because wool has a complex molecular structure and a waxy coating that makes it naturally water-resistant. It can also hold up to 30% of its weight in water without making the wearer feel cold and wet, and it is renewable and biodegradable, making it more sustainable post-use than synthetic materials. LINK

Four people have been arrested for criminal damage, after a waxwork of King Charles III was vandalized at Madame Tussauds in London on Monday. Two supporters of the campaign group Just Stop Oil were captured on camera smearing chocolate cake over the lifelike model of the British monarch. In a video clip shared on the group's Twitter page, the pair are seen removing their black clothing to reveal white "Just Stop Oil" T-shirts once they reach the podium housing waxworks of the royal family. After throwing the cake, they tell the bystanders it is "time for action." "We responded quickly to an incident at Madame Tussauds after two people threw food at a statue at approximately 10:50hrs," London's Metropolitan Police said in a tweet on Monday, adding: "Four people have been arrested for criminal damage related to this incident."Just Stop Oil said the pair are "demanding that the Government halts all new oil and gas licenses and consents." Monday's incident is the latest in a string of actions by activist groups across Europe designed to draw attention to the role of fossil fuels in climate change. On Sunday, two climate crisis protesters pelted Claude Monet's "Haystacks" painting with mashed potatoes at the Barberini Museum in Potsdam, Germany.The painting, which is glazed, was undamaged. In a press release, activists from the anti-fossil fuel campaign Last Generation asked: "What is more valuable, art or life?" Earlier this month, Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" in London's National Gallery. The protests, however, have divided opinion. Keir Starmer, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, condemned the actions of the "arrogant" Just Stop Oil activists, saying their methods undermined their cause. "I think they're wrong, I think their action is wrong," he told a caller on LBC Radio on Monday morning. He continued: "I particularly think about the images we've seen of ambulances coming down the road, and not being able to get through because people have glued themselves to the road.""I think it's arrogant of those gluing themselves to the road to think they're the only people that have got the answer to this. They haven't got the answer." Following the attack on Van Gogh's "Sunflowers," Britain's Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents many workers from the arts and culture sector, issued a statement saying that while they support the aims of climate change protests, "attacking our shared national heritage is not a constructive way to achieve these aims." The union added: "We cannot endorse these extreme and dangerous tactics which put our members at risk whilst they try to work." Sports broadcaster and former England soccer star Gary Lineker, on the other hand, was more sympathetic. Sharing an interview by journalist Owen Jones conducted with the National Gallery protesters, Lineker told his 8.6 million Twitter followers: "Worth a listen, because, like it or not, no one will listen without disruptive protest" LINK