Matthew Vaughn Says Superhero Films Should Be Better

Matthew Vaughn, the director of X-Men: First Class (2011), the Kingsman franchise, and the upcoming Argylle, shared a few opinions on superhero films at New York Comic Con last week. “I genuinely don’t know what’s happening with the superhero in the sense that, I do think, maybe we all need a little bit of time off…

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Interstellar Tune-Up: NASA’s Voyager Spacecraft Get Crucial Updates

NASA’s Voyager team has rolled out important measures in an attempt to further prolong the interstellar journey of the two Voyager spacecraft, which have been transmitting data from deep space since 1977.

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The U.S. Is in for a Warm, Wet Winter With El Niño

Temperatures are currently cooling down across the U.S., but much of the country is in for a warmer, wetter winter than usual, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in this year’s winter outlook.

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Apple HomePods now have native YouTube Music support

The Venn diagram of HomePod owners and YouTube Music subscribers probably doesn’t have a lot of overlap. However, those who use both Apple’s speakers and Google’s music streaming service may be pleased to learn that the two now play more nicely together. YouTube Music is now available natively on HomePod, meaning that you can ask Siri to play tracks from the service even if your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch aren’t close by. 

It’s now possible to set YouTube Music as the default music service on HomePod. That means you won’t have to add “on YouTube Music” when you bark a command at Siri. If you configure your HomePod in that way, you can still play music from another supported service by saying its name when you make your Siri request (for example “Siri, play Bad Bunny on Deezer” or “Siri, play Taylor Swift on Apple Music”).

To change the default music service on HomePod, open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap the More button (the one with the three dots) and then Home Settings. Go to your user profile under People, then select a default service in the Media section.

Having native YouTube Music support is a welcome update. HomePods don’t support too many services natively beyond the likes of Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, TuneIn Radio and iHeartRadio. It’s possible to stream audio to a HomePod from an iPhone, iPad or Mac as well.

With iOS 17, you can ask your HomePod to play music from Spotify and it will do so as long as your iPhone is nearby. Siri needs to route the request through your mobile device via AirPlay. While there’s no native Spotify support on HomePod as yet, that change should certainly make things a little easier for some folks.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-homepods-now-have-native-youtube-music-support-180428371.html?src=rss

Perovskite Solar Cells: Transforming Solar Power

In the fight against climate change and abnormal weather patterns resulting from global warming, solar power emerges as a critical and effective solution. Among solar technologies, perovskite solar cells have gained substantial attention due to their thin, lightweight, and flexible nature. Toshiba’s recent breakthrough in developing the world’s most efficient perovskite solar cells prompts us to explore how this innovation can contribute to a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable society.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital to combat global warming’s impact on weather patterns. Solar power, particularly perovskite solar cells, offers a compelling solution due to their thin, lightweight, and flexible design.

Addressing Societal Challenges: Global Warming and Climate Anomalies

Worldwide, nations, businesses, and organizations are making earnest efforts to achieve sustainable development goals by actively reducing carbon emissions. The United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP26) underscored the urgency of consistent and reinforced efforts to ensure a sustainable society in the coming months and years. This urgency transcends geopolitics, manifesting on societal and corporate levels.

As decarbonization initiatives progress, the transition from carbon-emitting energy sources to renewables becomes increasingly important. While renewable energy accounted for 29% of global electricity generation in 2020, over 70% of electricity generation still originates from non-renewable sources. Accelerating the transition to renewable energy is crucial to achieving carbon neutrality.

Mr. Isao Takasu, Fellow at Toshiba Corporation’s Research and Development Center, Nano Materials & Frontier Research Laboratory, Transducer Technology Laboratory.

Rise of Solar Power

Solar power generation primarily relies on harnessing solar energy, and its contribution to the global energy mix is rapidly growing. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates nearly a 25% year-over-year growth in new solar capacity installations worldwide in 2022.

Despite this progress, more advancements are needed. The IEA notes that “further efforts are required to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.” Therefore, expanding solar power utilization is vital to achieving carbon neutrality.

Perovskite solar cells are applicable not only in urban areas but also in rural areas.

Utilizing Solar Cell Modules for Various Applications

Polymer film-based perovskite solar cells offer a promising alternative to crystalline silicon cells — Being thinner, lighter, and more flexible, they can be installed in areas where traditional silicon cells are impractical, including rooftops or office windows. This innovation is particularly promising for urban areas, where land is scarce and efficient energy utilization is essential.

The benefits of polymer film-based perovskite solar cells, along with Toshiba’s technology, could pave the way for the large-scale adoption of solar power — For instance, by installing these cells in an area equivalent to the roof space of buildings in Tokyo, power generation could meet about two-thirds of the annual energy consumption of typical households. This technology extends beyond urban areas and holds potential for various sectors, including manufacturing and agriculture.

Challenges Ahead: Efficiency and Durability

Before this technology can be commercialized, there are challenges to overcome. Further improvements in conversion efficiency and durability are required. Toshiba aims to resolve these issues over the next three years to bring perovskite solar cells to the market by 2025. Additionally, cost-effectiveness will be crucial for market acceptance.

Toshiba aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% across its entire value chain by 2030. The company is actively committed to developing innovative technologies, such as polymer film-based perovskite solar cells, to contribute to a circular economy and the global transition to solar power. Toshiba believes that this dedication will lead to a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable society where people can live comfortably.

Perovskite Solar Cells: Transforming Solar Power

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Pilot Allegedly Tried To Shut Down Plane’s Engines, Booked On Attempted Murder

Off-duty pilot Joseph David Emerson, 44, was arrested on suspicion of dozens of counts of attempted murder and reckless endangerment after being subdued midflight.

Octopus Headphone Wall Hanger: Cephalopod Storage

Designed and 3D printed by Etsy shop M3is3D, the $50 Octopus Headphone Wall Hanger was designed to store your headphones while not in use while adding a touch of underwater whimsy at the same time. And with all those tentacles, you could theoretically hang up to nine pairs of headphones! Me? I don’t have nine pairs of headphones, I only have the one pair that my dog chewed through the cable of, presumably because she felt I was spending too much time playing video games and not enough time petting her.

Available in 10 different colors, including metallic bronze, silver, and gold, there’s an octopus to match any color palate. Of course, you will have to put ten holes in the wall in order to hang the octopus head and eight tentacles. Or, in my case, probably twenty to thirty holes. Thank goodness this is a rental!

Do you have a tiki or Enchantment Under The Sea Dance-themed game room? Then this is the headphone hanger for you! Or for the Little Mermaid to use in her secret grotto of human objects to store all her headphones. Granted, Scuttle probably told her they’re called boofballons.


[via DudeIWantThat]

Michigan State University Employee Suspended After Hitler Image Loomed Over Football Stadium

Michigan State University has suspended an employee it said was responsible for allowing a quiz question about Hitler and an image of the dictator to be broadcast on the video screen before the school’s football game against Michigan on Saturday. The School’s Associate Athletic Director, Matt Larson issued an apology…

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Squid Game: The Challenge Goes Full Meta With Reality Show

The social experiments seen in Netflix’s Squid Game dystopian future series have become real in our dystopian present: the trailer for the reality game show inspired by the hit series gathers 456 real contestants to put their skills to the test for that grand, glass-pig-encased prize of $4.56 million.

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Amazon’s Fallout series finally has a release date

Amazon Prime Video announced Monday that the Fallout television series will premiere on April 12, 2024. The news came from a short teaser video the streaming service posted on its social channels, including Instagram, styled like a Pip-Boy interface. The series, initially announced in 2020, will adopt a “serious and harsh” tone while adding “ironic humor” and “B-movie nuclear fantasies.” 

The live-action series, from Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, will have an original (canonical) story set in the Fallout gaming universe. It will take place in 2077, beginning in Vault 33 in Los Angeles. As fans of the game know, it’s set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland following the events of “The Great War” on October 23, 2077. That date has become known as “Fallout Day” among the game’s fans — an ideal day for Amazon to reveal the series’ premiere date.

Fallout will star Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), Walton Goggins (Justified), Aaron Moten (Emancipation), Xelia Mendes-Jones (The Wheel of Time), Moisés Arias (The King of Staten Island) and Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks). Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner are the series’ executive producers, writers and showrunners. Additional executive producers include Athena Wickham of Kilter Films, along with Bethesda’s Todd Howard and James Altman.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fallout-series-finally-has-a-release-date-163430938.html?src=rss