Author: mshahazad3916

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Nearly four years have passed since Facebook officially changed its corporate name to Meta, amid promises from founder Mark Zuckerberg that a fully realized digital “metaverse” was just around the corner. Since then, user adoption of virtual reality spaces has plateaued, and Zuckerberg himself has seemingly shifted focus towards AI companions and podcast-playing Ray Bans. For many, simply sitting on the couch at home with a dog by their side remains more appealing than slipping into VR.  But what if your furry friend could join you?…

Follow this self-guided trail in St. Augustine, Florida, and the surrounding communities to learn about five centuries of Black history in the region.

UK government borrowing was lower than expected in July, following a rise in tax and National Insurance receipts.Borrowing – the difference between public spending and tax income – was £1.1bn in July, which was £2.3bn less than the same month last year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.It was the lowest July figure for three years, the ONS said, and was helped by a rise in self-assessed income tax payments.Despite the lower-than-expected figure, analysts said the chancellor was still likely to have to raise taxes in the autumn Budget to meet her tax and spending rules.Borrowing over the first…

Hurricane Erin is affecting the US East Coast, bringing extreme heat and raising wildfire risks. Residents are bracing for triple-digit temperatures and possible thunderstorms, recalling the damages caused by Hurricane Helen.

Liv McMahon & Tom McArthurTechnology reporter & BBC News reporterGetty ImagesAn investigation has been launched into the death of a French streamer known for extreme challenges.Raphaël Graven, also known as Jean Pormanove, was found dead at a residence in Contes, a village north of Nice, prosecutors said. The 46-year-old had been subject to bouts of violence and sleep deprivation during streams, and died in his sleep during a live broadcast, local media reported.Confirming a judicial investigation was under way, French government minister Clara Chappaz described Mr Graven’s death and violence he endured as an “absolute horror”, adding he had been…

Friends remember Dale Webster, who surfed every day for decades, and who died this month at the age of 76.

US celebrity judge and social media star Frank Caprio has died aged 88, his family has said.Over a 40-year career in Rhode Island, he famously used compassion and humour to make judgements that took into consideration the personal circumstances of the people in the dock.Videos of Judge Caprio presiding over cases on his hit TV show Caught in Providence have had billions of views on social media, earning him the title the “nicest judge in the world”. His death following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was announced on his official Instagram account, where he was remembered for his “warmth” and…

The diamonds formed under extreme pressure and heat deep in the Earth’s mantle. If you find one, it will most likely look like a metallic or glassy pebble rather than a sparkly cut gem that you might picture in your mind. The volcanic soil also contains amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate, and various types of quartz. (You can keep those, too.)The largest diamond found in the United States came from this field—the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam diamond, discovered in 1924 before the land became a state park. In September 2021, California visitor Noreen Wredberg found a 4.38-carat yellow diamond after searching for…

But it’s very cold.Even starting through the lens of my telephoto camera at a polar bear, I couldn’t get my mind off the tiny community where I’d started my journey. Longyearbyen, the largest city in a far-north archipelago, has a year-round population of 2,500, surrounded by mountains, fjords, and glaciers. I was onboard the Aurora Expeditions ship, the Greg Mortimer, in the midst of the Arctic sea ice just north of the semi-autonomous island group called Svalbard, which is nominally part of the Kingdom of Norway. Even in summer, it was near freezing at this latitude of 83 degrees north, just…

Members of the National Guard patrol on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images President Trump’s decision to assert federal control over Washington, D.C.’s police force and deploy National Guard troops to patrol the capital marked a stunning departure from governing norms, according to experts. Since Trump’s order last week, hundreds of National Guard troops have set up on the streets of the nation’s capital and hundreds more are expected to arrive in the coming days. The National Guard is a…