IT General

SAVE $1000: As of Sept. 11, the Bluetti Solar Generator Apex 300 is on sale for $1,999 at Amazon. That's $1,000 off thanks to an on-page coupon.

Opens in a new window Credit: BLUETTI Bluetti Solar Generator Apex 300 $1,999 at Amazon
$2,999 Save $1,000 Get Deal

A power station is always good to have on hand, especially when you can pick one up with a heavy discount. As of Sept. 11, you can save $1,000 on the Bluetti Solar Generator Apex 300 with a stunning on-page coupon.

The Bluetti Solar Generator Apex 300 is listed for $2,999 at Amazon, but for a limited time, there's a $1,000 off voucher on site. Simply tick the orange coupon box, and you'll see the discount applied when you checkout. That brings the price down to $1,999, the lowest on record for this new model.

SEE ALSO: The Jackery Explorer 300 portable power station with a 100W solar panel is on sale at Amazon for under $300

It's a powerhouse of a generator, with a 2,764.8Wh capacity and 3,840W output, keeping homes, RVs, and off-grid setups running. You can even connect teo or three units together for 5.5–8.3kWh, or expand up to 58kWh with the B300K. It has six AC outputs that can handle heavy powering, so things like RV ovens and air conditioners can all run smoothly.

For charging, it supports up to 2,400W solar input with dual MPPT, and can hit up to 80% in just 40 minutes when running at full power. Bluetti’s second-gen LiFePO4 battery means it’s good for over 6,000 cycles, which is about 17 years of use. It's obviously not an impulse buy, but you're getting good value for money considering the lifespan.

Get this great power station deal from Amazon.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025:

AcrossGeorge Carlin, for the first episode of "Saturday Night Live"

• The answer is Host.

Sulky-looking

• The answer is Pouty.

Request for a high-five

• The answer is Up top.

Subway system

• The answer is Metro.

Opponent of Cuomo and Mamdani in the N.Y.C. mayoral race

• The answer is Adams.

DownCrossed one's fingers

• The answer is Hoped.

"Straight ___ Compton"

• The answer is Outta.

Bad time to head outside with a tall metal rod

• The answer is Storm.

What autocorrect corrects

• The answer is Typos.

Sneaker named for a big cat

• The answer is Puma.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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.

SAVE $200: As of Sept. 11, the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air M4 is on sale for $1,199 at Amazon. That's $200 off list price and the lowest-ever price for this model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 15-inch Apple MacBook Air M4 $1,199 at Amazon
$1,399 Save $200 Get Deal

Our favorite MacBook deal of 2025 looks like it's on the way out. The MacBook Air M4 has been $200 off since just after Prime Day, but that deal is apparently vanishing before our eyes. Maybe it's because Apple has launched a number of new products in its 2025 Apple Event. Or maybe it's because these MacBooks have been selling so well during this hectic back-to-school season. We're honestly not sure.

What we do know is that you can still get the record-low price on the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air M4, but you've got to opt for a specific model to secure this saving. As of Sept. 11, the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air M4 is on sale for $1,199 at Amazon. The $200 discount is only available on the MacBook Air with 16GB of Unified Memory and 512GB SSD in starlight.

Given that the price has increased for all other 15-inch configurations and every 13-inch model, we don't expect this low price to last long.

SEE ALSO: Buy a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE, get a free Galaxy SmartTag 2

In our review of the 15-inch MacBook Air M4, Stan Shroeder said it's "powerful, silent, and comes with a couple of much-needed upgrades." The MacBook Air M4 also claimed top spot in our roundup of the best MacBooks. When it comes to cost, Dylan Haas praised the price point: "When most tech device prices are going up, it's nice to see a price decrease from a large company like Apple. This doesn't happen often, so take advantage of the deal while you can." Need we say more?

Save $200 on the Apple MacBook Air M4 before this record-low price bids farewell.

Apple unveiled a slew of new devices this week, from the iPhone 17 to the Watch Series 11. Among them was the AirPods Pro 3, offering the first significant update to Apple's earbuds in years. Priced at $249, the AirPods Pro 3 boasts foam ear tips and improved active noise control, as well as health and fitness features such as heart rate monitoring.

The AirPods Pro 3 also adds Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence. This feature enables the AirPods Pro 3 to listen to audio and translate it into different languages, offering realtime audio translations as well as displaying them on a phone. 

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods Pro 3 are officially here, bringing improved battery life and heart rate monitoring

"It doesn't just translate individual words," Kate Bergeron, Apple's vice president of hardware engineering, said during Tuesday's presentation. "The meaning of each phrase is translated for you. When you need to talk, just speak naturally."

Live Translation will support English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish at launch, with more languages to be added later this year. However, some people are already fantasising about other, less likely vernacular that the AirPods Pro 3 may be able to decipher. Social media users have created a meme in the wake of Apple's announcement, editing an image of the AirPods Pro 3 to show its Live Translation bluntly interpreting everything from corporate speak to real estate agents' spiels.

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Apple's AirPods Pro 3 will be available from Sept. 19.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A small bird.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

QUAIL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Malicious.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CATTY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Unusual.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DILLY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To tweak.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

AMEND

Final Hurdle hint

A composition.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

ETUDE

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Wondering why the moon looks a little smaller tonight? That's because we've just hit day 19 of the lunar cycle.

The lunar cycle a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. 

Let's find out what's happening with the moon tonight, Sept. 11.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Thursday, Sept. 11, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous, and it is 81% lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

There's lots to see tonight when you look up. Without any visual aids, enjoy a glimpse of the Oceanus Procellarum, the Mare Vaporum, and the Mare Tranquillitatis.

If you have binoculars, you'll also see the Grimaldi Basin, Posidonius Crater, and the Mare Frigoris. Add a telescope to your line up and you'll see the Reiner Gamma, Apollo 16, and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Oct. 6. The last full moon was on Sept. 7.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:

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.

Last Quarter (or Third 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.

SAVE $350: The JBL Bar 500 soundbar is on sale at Amazon for only $299.95, down from the normal price of $649.95. That's a massive 54% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon. It also comes with free access to Amazon Music for 90 days.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Bar 500 $299.95 at Amazon
$649.95 Save $350.00 plus get free access to Amazon Music for 90 days Get Deal

You've probably noticed, but your TV's built-in speaker is not that impressive. Depending on your TV, it might get the job done just fine, but it's not really adding to the cinematic experience. Instead, you might want to add a soundbar into the mix, and thanks to today's deal at Amazon, there's a major discount on a JBL model.

As of Sept. 10, the JBL Bar 500 soundbar is only $299.95 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $649.95. That's a huge 54% discount that takes $350 off the price. It's the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon by a long shot, and today's deal comes with free access to Amazon Music for three months.

Equipped with Dolby Atmos and MultiBeam Surround Sound, the JBL Bar 500 aims to bring your home's entertainment set-up into a whole new realm. The 10-inch wireless subwoofer is great for action-packed movies or for your gaming soundtrack. In total, the JBL Bar 500 comes with a 590W total system output for some seriously immersive sound.

SEE ALSO: The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are on sale at a great back-to-school price

The JBL Bar 500 has built-in WiFi, so you'll be able to use it to stream your favorite tunes from music services. Plus, new subscribers can get free access to Amazon Music for 90 days with the purchase of the JBL Bar 500.

We have tons of new fall TV shows on deck, and soon we'll be deep into winter movie marathons. Both deserve great sound thanks to the JBL Bar 500, and snagging it today means you'll be saving a major $350.

The AirPods Pro 3 are here, and they're a huge jump from the AirPods Pro 2 in almost every way. But I hope you have a cable lying around, because Apple is not shipping one with its newest earbuds.

SAVE $150: As of Sept. 10, get the LG 65-Inch Class QNED evo AI 4K TV for $849.99, down from its usual price of $999.99. That's a discount of 15% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon LG 65-Inch Class QNED Evo AI 4K TV $849.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $150 Get Deal

Looking to bring home a new TV for the fall, but don't want to spend a couple of paychecks? You don't have to do that to get a decent screen that works for your home, especially since there's an excellent deal on this LG TV available at Amazon that brings the price down to its lowest yet.

As of Sept. 10, get the LG 65-Inch Class QNED evo AI 4K TV for $849.99, down from its usual price of $999.99. That's $150 off and a discount of 15%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Get a TCL Mini LED TV for its lowest price yet at Amazon

This 65-inch display is the perfect option for watching sports, catching up on the new slate of fall TV shows and movies, and playing some of the biggest new game releases. Lit by mini LEDs that add QNED color, it's built to provide accuracy and vibrant hues. Powered by an Alpha 8 AI Gen2 processor as well as Filmmaker Mode, you can check out your favorite content in its cinematic glory, all while marveling over the color and picture quality.

All this for under $850 makes this LG 65-Inch 4K TV a show-stopper of a deal, especially since it won't stick around for long. With the holidays coming up, it's a better time than usual to pick up a TV of this size and caliber, either to give as a gift or to indulge in yourself for all the holiday get-togethers on the horizon. Grab yours while it's still on sale.

Apple's first Pro smartphone arrived in 2019 as the iPhone 11 Pro, and ever since then I’ve routinely purchased the latest Pro Max model. This year I'm skipping the recently introduced iPhone 17 Pro, and this significant change is not a decision I have taken lightly.

SAVE $142: The new 55-inch Hisense E6 Series QLED 4K Fire TV is on sale on Amazon for just $287.99 (normally $429.99) as of Sept. 10. At 33% off, it's never been cheaper.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 55-inch E6 Series QLED 4K Fire TV $287.99 at Amazon
$429.99 Save $142 Get Deal

We're creeping up on Black Friday season, the absolute best time to find a great deal on a TV. But if your current set isn't doing justice to Thursday night football games, you probably don't want to wait that long to upgrade.

Here's a solid option that'll work for most casual TV watchers: As of Sept. 10, Amazon has the new 55-inch Hisense E6 Series QLED 4K Fire TV on sale for just $287.99. That's 33% off its usual sticker price of $429.99 and its first discount since launching in August, according to the Amazon price-tracking site CamelCamelCamel.

At the time of writing, Amazon was also offering free deluxe delivery and unpacking (a $29.99 value).

For reference, we only saw two 55-inch TVs dip under $300 during Amazon's Prime Day sale in July — another good time for finding TV deals — and only one of them was a QLED. Leah Stodart, our in-house TV expert, recommends these kinds of sets "for people whose TV usage happens mostly in the daytime, especially watching sports," since they're brighter and "better at handling glare" than traditional LED TVs.

SEE ALSO: What's the best time of year to buy a TV? Yes, there's an answer.

The 55-inch QLED TV that was on sale for Prime Day also lacked the AI Light Sensor that Hisense's E6 Series model brings to the table. This automatically adjusts the TV's brightness based on its surroundings.

While not unexpected given its budget price point, the E6 Series' very basic 60Hz refresh rate is a bit of a ding on its spec sheet. For this reason, I don't recommend it for gamers (even though its Game Mode Plus feature promises to reduce input lag). Stick to streaming instead.

Conveniently, there's a built-in Fire TV interface that gives you easy access to all of your go-to streaming apps — no need to tack on a separate media player. It also comes with an Alexa-enabled voice remote for hands-free control. Pick up the Hisense 55-inch E6 Series for just $287.99 now and enjoy the rest of football season in style.

TL;DR: The Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro is packed with thousands of retro and 3D games, 4K support, dual operating systems, and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity — all for $89.97 (reg. $159.99) with free shipping.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator $89.97
$159.99 Save $70.02 Get Deal

Summer may be fading, but that doesn’t mean your entertainment has to. If you’re looking for a way to spice up your evenings as the days get shorter, the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console is a smart option — especially at just $89.97 (down from the list price of $159.99) with free shipping.

This compact powerhouse comes pre-loaded with thousands of games across 60+ emulators, meaning you can jump straight into classics like Street Fighter II, Pac-Man, or Sonic the Hedgehog — or load up more modern titles with its Android 9.0 system. With dual operating systems (EmuELEC 4.5 for retro and Android 9.0 for apps), it’s not just a nostalgia trip; it’s a full-blown entertainment hub.

SEE ALSO: Save $150 on the Samsung Odyssey G50D gaming monitor at Amazon

And yes, it looks great doing it. Thanks to a Mali-G31 GPU and 4K UHD output, gameplay is sharp, smooth, and ready for any screen in your house. Want to stream Netflix or YouTube after your game session? Switch over to Android mode, kick back, and stream away.

Multiplayer support makes it easy to hand controllers to your friends or family, while dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 keep everything connected and seamless. Plus, it’s plug-and-play, so setup is about as quick as choosing which retro classic to boot up first.

You get retro gaming, 3D game support, streaming apps, and thousands of titles without hunting down dusty old cartridges. And right now, you get it for nearly half off. Not a bad way to transition from summer nights to fall weekends.

Pick up the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro (with two controllers and a remote) while it’s still on sale for $89.97 (list price of $159.99) with free shipping.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

If you’ve been using Windows for quite some time now, then you must have heard about God Mode. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard about it before, as I will share everything about Windows God Mode and how it completely changed the way I use my Windows PC.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac for just $59.97 (reg. $219), but only through Sept. 14.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime License $59.97
$219 Save $159.03 Get Deal

If you’re a Mac user juggling work, home projects, or running a business, this one’s worth your attention. Right now, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac for just $59.97 (reg. $219). Pay once, and you’ll have the full suite — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote — forever. But heads up: this price is only good through Sept. 14.

Think about it. That means no more annoying monthly fees or yearly renewals. Once you install Office 2021 on your Mac, you’re set for life. You’ll have the tools you need to draft proposals, crunch numbers, build polished presentations, keep up with email, and collaborate with Teams — all without worrying about subscription reminders hitting your inbox.

SEE ALSO: Need a laptop on a tablet budget? This Chromebook is on sale for under $100.

Office 2021 also brings modern upgrades to the apps you already know. Excel offers improved data analysis features, PowerPoint has advanced presentation tools, and Outlook comes with better search and management features. It’s designed to keep your workflow sharp and your productivity high, whether you’re running a business solo or working with a team.

Think of it this way: a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac retails for $219, and you’re locking it in today for way less. No monthly charges, no looming renewal notices—just the tools you already rely on, updated and ready to go.

It’s the perfect time to future-proof your workflow in one quick move.

Get a lifetime license to MS Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac for just $59.97 (reg. $219) when you order through Sept. 14.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Yes, in A Useful Ghost, there's a make-out scene between a man and a vacuum cleaner. Several actually. And none in the way you'd imagine. (Unless... were you immediately imagining nipple play?)

Admittedly, the image of a man cradling a vacuum in the movie's trailer is what put it toward the top of my must-sees out of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. I value cinema that shows me something I've never seen before. And I assure you, this wild Thai comedy has a lot of things you've never seen before.

On the surface, it's the tale — well, tales — of ghosts who have possessed vacuum cleaners to reconnect to the people they've left behind. But incredibly, writer/director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke builds within this undeniably silly premise interwoven stories of love, yearning, and political rebellion.

Incredibly, he does all that in a way that makes just talking about this movie feel like recounting a fever dream. It's little wonder the film won the Critics' Week Grand Prix out of the Cannes Film Festival and has been chosen by Thailand as its submission to the Academy Awards for the international feature film category. It's a marvel.

A Useful Ghost is a rapturous Russian doll of a story.

Boonbunchachoke births one story from another from another. His film begins with a self-proclaimed "Academic Ladyboy" (Wisarut Homhuan), who buys a new vacuum to bust the dust coming in from a withering stone monument outside a humble apartment. Dust and vacuums will become a recurring element of each subsequent story, representing the persistent affliction of a paved-over past and the societal pressure to sweep it away instead of confronting it.

Buying a vacuum becomes a life-changing affair, because this ladyboy's new device is haunted — or so says the hot repairman named Krong (Wanlop Rungkumjud), who comes to fix it. With a smoldering gaze, he tells a tale of two other haunted vacuums. The first is of a vengeful spirit who afflicted a family-owned vacuum factory. The second is of that factory owner's son March (Wisarut Himmarat), who was so lost in grief over the death of his wife Nat (Davika Hoorne) that she was compelled to return — as a vacuum, painted as red as her dyed hair.

Suman (Apasiri Nitibhon), the factory owner, wasn't fond of Nat while she was alive. She's even less a fan now that Nat's a vacuum, sucking on March's nipples with her bristle attachment. A monk visiting the haunted factory notes that ghosts return because they remember and are remembered. Essentially, as a ghost is forgotten by the living, they fade into nothingness. So, Suman decides to electroshock the memories of Nat right out of March's head.

However, before Nat is fully faded, Suman's family learns that Nat has a unique skill for entering the dreams of the living. There, she can better understand the haunting ghosts of Thailand. And once this "useful ghost" has identified them, these unuseful ghosts can be extinguished by electroshocking their loved ones into forgetting them.

Listening to this story, the Academic Ladyboy is repulsed by Nat's willingness to turn on her own to maintain what she has. From there, Boonbunchachoke digs deeper into political allegory through a plotline involving a politician who wishes Nat to eradicate the ghosts of those killed in a political massacre. And just like that, this silly story has a powerful message that's achingly timely.

Kink and queerness come into play in A Useful Ghost.

In the opening line of Boonbunchachoke's film, he identifies the audience conduit as a LGBTQ+ person, the Academic Ladyboy, defined chiefly by his queerness and his intellectual curiosity. Later, when March's mother is being dressed down by her in-laws over her parenting, they scold her for raising her eldest gay and her second son to make out with a vacuum. This paired with a sprinkling of love scenes between March and vacuum Nat and several gay sex scenes suggests a throughline between these loves, deemed outside the norm of an older, conservative, and ruthless faction.

Queerness itself is celebrated in A Useful Ghost. The Academic Ladyboy is a compassionate listener to Krong's winding tale. Their connection is instant, sizzling, and satisfyingly resolved. Another subplot explores how homophobia in Thailand creates heartache and ghosts with unfinished business. Meanwhile, March's gay brother — though sneered at by his aunts and uncles — is shown only as joyful and loving with his husband and their son, though they discuss moving abroad to Australia.

Nat and March are straight, but once she's embodied in a vacuum, they no longer fall within the acceptable heterocentric norms of his family and a band of monks, who swarm her and call her a "thick cunt" while they attempt to banish her. In this way, Nat becomes subjected to hatred over who she loves because of the body she inhabits. And while this analogy might sound obvious, it plays out subtly because Boonbunchachoke's story is so surprising and strange, you may be focusing more on what the fuck is happening next while you watch, only to reflect on what it all means later. And I can't stop thinking about A Useful Ghost. Its outrageous jokes, earnest romance, and gnarly twists are unforgettable.

This film's collision of queerness, comedy, and politics should draw Boonbunchachoke comparisons to John Waters or Pedro Almodóvar. But the finale, which turns sharper and deliciously menacing, feels more in line with the political satires of Bong Joon Ho. With A Useful Ghost, Boonbunchachoke delivers a a delirious vision, a hilarious and thought-provoking comedy that demands to be seen and adored. It's just phenomenal.

A Useful Ghost was reviewed out of 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

Microsoft Edge feels like a billboard more than a browser, which is why I've never used it as my default. Recently, though, I installed Windows on a laptop that was too old to run even a regular browser, so I ended up spending some time with Edge. Turns out, it can be a solid browser with a few tweaks.

Conservative political leader Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a Utah college on Sept. 9, as reported by President Donald Trump and the New York Times.

Kirk was an outspoken MAGA media figure and the leader of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth activist organization. Kirk rose to social media prominence in 2012 at just 18, and in the years since, he transformed Turning Point USA into an influential conservative political operation. Kirk traveled the country hosting caustic debates where he could express his strong right-wing stances as an opponent of abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, and gun control.

As gruesome videos of the shooting spread online, President Donald Trump, politicians from across the political spectrum, fans, and critics alike shared messages of thoughts and prayers. On his Truth Social social networking site, the President wrote, "We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!"

Soon after, the President announced that Kirk had been killed. "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social, adding, “He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us."

Mashable is choosing not to share videos of the shooting, which shows Kirk speaking to a large crowd at a Utah Valley University event. The video shows Kirk responding to a question about mass shootings while sitting underneath a Turning Point USA tent emblazoned with the messages "Prove Me Wrong" and “The American Comeback.” As he speaks, his head suddenly rocks back, and he suffers a grievous neck wound as the crowd panics and runs from the scene.

The New York Times reported that a shooter fired a single shot from a building some 200 yards from Kirk. The Times initially reported that a suspect had been taken into custody at the scene, but later wrote that police have since determined that the individual was not the shooter. NBC News reported that no suspects are in custody at this time, citing a Utah Valley University spokesperson.

Social media users shared videos of an older white man being taken into custody; however, misleading video clips often go viral in the aftermath of a tragedy, and internet sleuths have a history of misidentifying suspects in the aftermath of a shooting.

Major political and public figures shared messages of shock, horror, and sympathy following the shooting.

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Charlie Kirk belonged to a political party whose members routinely send Christmas card pics of their entire families, adults and children, bearing rifles and handguns – and who widely wear AR-15 lapel pins. Facts.

— Dr. Jack Brown (@drjackbrown.bsky.social) September 10, 2025 at 6:15 PM This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

UPDATE: Sep. 11, 2025, 11:45 a.m. EDT This story has been updated to provide additional context about Kirk's political beliefs.

A Mars rock sample collected last summer shows chemical fingerprints that might be traces of past microbe activity, though non-biological explanations are still possible, according to NASA.

The Perseverance rover found the rock in July 2024. The drilled sample, nicknamed Sapphire Canyon, is now the strongest clue scientists have that life once existed on ancient Mars, according to the U.S. space agency. 

NASA held a news conference Wednesday to announce that the rover's findings have since passed peer review in the journal Nature, a key step in the scientific process to ensure the evidence is solid. Associate administrator Nicky Fox emphasized that the sample does not contain life itself but a fossilized remnant that suggests life had possibly been there. 

"It's kind of the equivalent of seeing … leftovers from a meal, and maybe that meal has been excreted by a microbe," she said. 

But whether this possible sign of life will ever be confirmed remains to be seen. Right now the sample is still on Mars, and it's unclear whether a NASA mission will ever bring it back to Earth for further analysis, crucial for getting to the point of certainty. In January, before President Donald Trump took office, NASA officials said they were working on two potential new approaches for Mars Sample Return that could cut costs. The decision for how to proceed would ultimately fall on the Trump administration, whose budget request calls for cancellation of this mission. 

Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, who Trump tapped to lead the agency two months ago, seemed disconcerted by the series of questions from reporters focusing on the mission and its funding rather than the research, which was announced last year. 

"We got some of the brightest people at NASA with us," Duffy said during the event. "I was hoping your questions were going to be more on this exciting news that we have today."

SEE ALSO: NASA's Mars rovers had a gangbusters summer of rocks The sample, taken from a site called Cheyava Falls,  is one of 27 rock cores the rover has collected since landing on the Red Planet in February 2021. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

The sample, taken from a rock called Cheyava Falls, is one of 27 rock cores the rover has collected in tubes since landing on the Red Planet in February 2021. The Martian location where it was found was in Neretva Vallis, home to a bygone river that once emptied water into Jezero Crater, the region Perseverance has been exploring. 

The rock is a reddish, clay-rich mudstone, with speckles and leopard spots that hint at chemical reactions similar to those that some microbes use for energy here on Earth. It contains organic carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, and iron-rich minerals that could have supported tiny life forms billions of years ago. Though these minerals can also form without living things, the local conditions make a non-biological explanation seem less likely. 

"When we see features like this in sediment on Earth, minerals are often the byproduct of microbial metabolisms that are consuming organic matter and making these minerals as a result of those reactions," said Joel Hurowitz, lead author of the Nature paper. "But there are non-biological ways to make these features that we cannot completely rule out."

For example, an alternate way to make an iron-sulfide mineral known as greigite, detected in the sample, could be to heat the rock, said Hurowitz, a planetary scientist at Stony Brook University — essentially cooking those ingredients to create a new mineral phase.

Perseverance scientists say they've exhausted what they can learn about the sample with the car-sized rover's instruments. Back home, researchers could better inspect the material. Advanced tools could search for complex organic molecules, DNA, cell structures, and more. 

Without the sample in hand, scientists will continue to pore over the rover's data by testing surrogate ingredients in laboratories, especially to see if they can create similar results in non-biological ways.

Mars Sample Return has been in limbo since a review found it would cost upward of $11 billion and take nearly two decades to achieve. NASA engaged the greater aerospace industry for input on how to wrangle in spending and development last year. Several companies suggested a variety of ideas, which Mashable reported, including repurposing Artemis moon landers and rethinking the last leg of the journey. 

The mission is not off the table, said the acting administrator, who is also the U.S. transportation secretary, and the agency will continue to explore cost-saving options to make it feasible. 

"If we don't have the resources for the right missions, or the right people, I will go to the president, I'll go to the Congress, I'll ask for more money," he said. "I feel pretty confident that with the money that we've been given in the president's budget, we can accomplish our mission."

President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill was passed in July, and part of that bill was the new "no tax on tips" law that would allow workers to earn tips and not have to declare them on taxes. The U.S. Treasury released a list of professions that were eligible for this law last week. Somewhat surprisingly, content creators of various types made the list. 

The list mostly includes the stuff you would expect, including bartenders, wait staff, food servers, gambling employees like dealers, dancers (yep, those types), ushers, lobby attendants, bellhops, and entertainers. 

Tucked into the list is “Digital Content Creators,” which the Treasury defines as people who "produce and publish on digital platforms original entertainment or personality-driven content, such as live streams, short-form videos, or podcasts."

SEE ALSO: How content creators are redefining Hollywood's power structure

Comedians, singers, musicians, and DJs are also included. These types of performers are often seen on streaming platforms like Twitch, so this law covers them both. 

There are some caveats to the law. The tax deduction is capped at $25,000 per year, which popular streamers will likely surpass. In addition, the law says that tips can’t be written off if they are received “in the course of certain specified trades or businesses — including the fields of health, performing arts, and athletics.” 

Regardless, it will likely change how streamers and content creators make money to ensure they get as close to that $25,000 cap as possible. Tipping, often referred to as "donations," has been a main revenue driver for content creators, particularly streamers on Twitch and other platforms. Per a study conducted in 2024, 19 percent of large influencers reported receiving tips from their audience across all platforms. That number is likely much higher on streaming platforms on Twitch. 

Since the law incentivizes receiving tips, it’s not a giant leap to assume that this will change how the content creator industry seeks revenue outside of the standard stuff like advertising. As The Hollywood Reporter deftly put it, don’t be surprised if content creators start asking people to like, subscribe, and tip.

About a year ago, I read a comment on Reddit suggesting that instead of dealing with fan curves and sudden noise jumps, you could just run your CPU cooler at a constant speed. Naturally, I had to try this out. Almost a year later, I still run my CPU cooler at a steady RPM.