IT General

Astronomers in Australia have created the largest and most detailed low-frequency radio image ever made of the Milky Way, revealing Earth's galactic neighborhood in a new way. 

The colorful new picture is not an artist's acid-washed metal masterpiece but a view of the galaxy from the vantage point of the Southern Hemisphere. Because the image is based on radio waves rather than visible light, it shows otherwise hidden features of space. 

Researchers at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research conducted the work. Those coppery and verdigris tones in the image are color-coded for different radio wavelengths. With this record-breaking map, astronomers can study the rich nature of stellar birth, death, and transformation stretching across the southern sky.

This marks a milestone in astronomy, said Natasha Hurley-Walker, a professor at Curtin University in Australia. Parts of the image have never been seen at these frequencies before. 

"What we've done here is we've colored those low frequencies red, and so those correspond to areas in the sky where there is more emission at those low frequencies. We've colored the higher frequencies blue, and those are areas of the sky where there is more emission at the high frequencies," Hurley-Walker said in a video about the project. "These different radio colors allow astronomers like me to disentangle the complicated astrophysics in our galaxy."

SEE ALSO: Scientists uncover crucial role Jupiter played in Earth's development

Over the past century, radio telescopes have transformed how we see our own galaxy. These instruments detect invisible radio waves from space, letting scientists map the galaxy’s structure and learn what it’s made of. As technology has improved, the images have become sharper. 

The main focus of this project was the Milky Way's so-called Galactic Plane — a flat, dense zone where most of the stars and gas are concentrated. The team identified nearly 98,000 radio sources, including glowing gas clouds around stellar nurseries called H II regions, planetary nebulas, and even distant galaxies. A paper describing these results appears in the journal Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. 

The GLEAM-X astronomical survey has produced a high-resolution, low-frequency radio image to map the Milky Way from the southern sky. Credit: Silvia Mantovanini / GLEAM-X Team

Hurley-Walker's doctoral student Silvia Mantovanini headed up the project, building the image using high-powered supercomputers to piece together over 40,000 hours' worth of data. The observations came from two large surveys made with the Murchison Widefield Array, a radio telescope in Western Australia, far from human-made radio noise. She spent 1.5 years working on it.

"The first time I saw the image, I thought, 'Oh my God, I did it,'" Mantovanini said in the same video. 

The new image is twice as sharp, 10 times more sensitive, and covers double the area of the previous version released six years ago, according to the team. This enhancement allows researchers to study dimmer and more distant structures.

The observations came from two large surveys made with the Murchison Widefield Array, a radio telescope composed of over 4,000 spider-like antennas in Western Australia. Credit: International Centre of Radio Astronomy Research

Mantovanini’s research focuses on supernova remnants, the expanding gas clouds left behind after massive stars explode. In the new image, these appear as large red circles, while small blue blobs mark regions where new stars are being born. In a normal image, they are indistinguishable, Mantovanini said, featuring the same shapes. 

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But here, thanks to the different colors they can get," she said, "we are able to make these distinctions more easily."

The new dataset also sheds light on pulsars, rapidly spinning dead star cores that send out steady beams of radio waves like lighthouses. Measuring their brightness at different frequencies reveals how these weird objects produce their signals and where they lie within the galaxy.

"I am looking forward to … what other scientists can get out of this data," she said.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand-new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of the week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're looking for horrifying Halloween-worthy watches, twisted thrillers, wild fantasy, bonkers musical numbers, critically heralded comedy, and one of the sexiest films of the year, we've got something just for you.

11. Robin Hood, Season 1

Whether or not we need another Robin Hood moment on screen, it's happening with a new MGM+ series letting that 12th-century English arrow fly this week. But Sean Bean as the Sheriff of Nottingham?! I'M IN.

Many, many, many actors have played the Prince of Thieves, from Errol Flynn to Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe to Taron Egerton, to the tightest tights of Cary Elwes and that smokin' hot Disney fox. Now, in John Glenn and Jonathan English's Robin Hood series, young Jack Patten takes on the role of Robert of Locksley, a man motivated by revenge who gathers his band of outlaws and rises up against Norman invaders in Saxon England. He'll steal from the rich, give to the poor, and meet Marian of Huntingdon (Lauren McQueen) along the way to becoming the legendary archer Robin Hood. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Jack Patten, Lauren McQueen, Sean Bean, Lydia Peckham, Steve Waddington, Connie Nielsen, Marcus Fraser, Angus Castle-Doughty, Erica Ford, Richard Lintern, Ian Pirie, Henry Rowley

How to watch: Robin Hood is streaming on MGM+ and Prime Video for users with an MGM+ subscription on Nov. 2.

10. Hazbin Hotel, Season 2

A24's animated phenomenon Hazbin Hotel returns this week, bringing with it more hellish shenanigans and bops sung by Broadway legends. 

SEE ALSO: How the incredible 'Hazbin Hotel' fandom propelled the show to stardom

Created by Vivienne Medrano, the series centers on Hell's crown princess Charlie Morningstar (voiced by Erika Henningsen) and her efforts to redeem her fellow demons so Heaven's angels won't exterminate them. She's got her work cut out for her, because after Season 1's game-changing finale, the tensions between Heaven and Hell are stronger than ever. Plus, other demons like Vox (voiced by Christian Borle) have plans to twist the hotel for their own agenda. How will Charlie get out of this one? And which Hazbin Hotel Season 2 song will wind up stuck in your head for the considerable future? — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Erika Henningsen, Stephanie Beatriz, Keith David, Kimiko Glenn, Blake Roman, Amir Talai, Alex Brightman, Christian Borle, Jeremy Jordan, Jessica Vosk, Joel Perez, Lilli Cooper, Krystina Alabado, Patrick Stump, Darren Criss, Shoba Narayan, Patina Miller, Liz Callaway, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, James Monroe Iglehart, Andrew Durand, Kevin Del Aguila, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Alex Newell

How to watch: The first two episodes of Hazbin Hotel Season 2 are now streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes every Wednesday through Nov. 19.

9. Star Wars: Visions, Volume 3

If you can't get enough of Star Wars and its ever expanding universe, you'll appreciate that Star Wars: Visions is back with its third volume.

This animated series allows filmmakers and voice talent from all over the globe to take a spin in a galaxy far, far away. Volume 3 offers nine new shorts, each from a different animation studio. Stories of smugglers, rebels, Jedi, treasure, and vengeance will be brought to life with exciting animation and an array of stars, whether you choose the Japanese dub or the English dub. Are you ready to see new sides of Star Wars? — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Brian Tee, Anna Sawai, Freddie Highmore, Stephanie Hsu, George Takei, Kimiko Glenn, Harvey Guillén, Jodie Turner-Smith, Judith Light, Simu Liu, and Steve Buscemi

How to watch: Star Wars: Visions is now streaming on Disney+.

8. The Witcher, Season 4

If The Witcher fans have been wondering how Liam Hemsworth would pick up the gray mantle of Geralt of Rivia, they don't have to wait any longer. Season 4 of Netflix's adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's books is here, with Henry Cavill bowing out of the titular role last season. And folks, Hemsworth is fine. That's basically all I've got for you.

After the chaos unleashed at the fancy party known as the Conclave at the end of Season 3, our core trio of Geralt (Hemsworth), Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (Freya Allan) are separated once again, flung to the four corners of the Continent with various fish to fry. Ciri, in particular, has the entire Continent looking for her to take advantage of her major magical powers, so she's covertly running with a group of rogues known as the Rats, where she'll spend a large portion of the start of Season 4.

Look, if you're into The Witcher universe and want to dive back into it, it's got most of the production elements from the first three seasons and well-hewn characters beyond the titular witcher. It's undeniably weird without Cavill, but the show has gone on regardless. Plus, this season has Laurence Fishburne, so there's that! — S.C.

Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, Joey Batey, Laurence Fishburne, Mahesh Jadu, Meng’er Zhang, Hugh Skinner, Graham McTavish, and Cassie Clare

How to watch: The Witcher Season 4 hits Netflix Oct. 30.

7. Down Cemetery Road

Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson are the dynamic duo of my dreams in Apple TV's Oxford-set mystery crime thriller from Slow Horses' screenwriter Morwenna Banks. But it's not the buddy cop set-up you're thinking.

Based on Mick Herron's novel, Down Cemetery Road sees Thompson as hard-edged private investigator Zoë Boehm, whose marriage to her business partner Joe (Adam Godley) is as threadbare as their bank balance. Across town, Wilson plays Sarah Trafford, an art conservationist who is dragged into hosting a dinner party for her husband Mark's (Tom Riley) schmuck of a client. Before dessert, there's an explosion next door, leading to the disappearance of a young girl named Dinah (Ivy Quoi). The event sends Sarah into an obsessive hunt for the truth — and it leads her to Zoë and Joe's door. 

Reader, is she onto something? Considering the mysterious scenes in the first two episodes involving some very official-seeming men working in the shadows, 100 percent. And equally considering that Thompson and Wilson give characteristically exemplary performances in this show, I'm in for all eight episodes. — S.C.

Starring: Emma Thompson, Ruth Wilson, Adeel Akhtar, Tom Goodman-Hill, Fehinti Balogun, Darren Boyd, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Tom Riley, Adam Godley, Sinead Matthews, Ken Nwosu, and Aiysha Hart

How to watch: Down Cemetery Road debuts on Apple TV with the first two episodes on Oct. 29, followed by new episodes Wednesdays through Dec. 10.

6. Jurassic World Rebirth

Jurassic Park kicked off a movie franchise that has had its highs and lows, but finds fresh thrills and throwback fun with Jurassic World Rebirth.

Set in a world where dinosaurs have been brought back, but are dying off everywhere but an abandoned string of tropical islands, this sequel stars Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, as a mercenary and paleontologist on a mission to recover blood samples from some deadly dinos. Along the way, they'll see the deaths of colleagues and come across a family on a cruise gone horribly wrong.

In my review, I wrote, "Jurassic World Rebirth is a rocky ride. Some bits are absolutely exhilarating, while others feel like a chore. But unlike the humans in this franchise, the humans of our world just cannot tire of these incredible beasts, happy to shell out ticket money to get as close as we might to their enormous majesty. And this film, including its hilariously calamitous opening with its requisite kill, will deliver, feeding both all our yearning for excitement and our need for escapism." — K.P.

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Ed Skrein

How to watch: Jurassic World Rebirth is now streaming on Peacock.

5. Ballad of a Small Player

Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton, and director Edward Berger (Conclave) team up for a surreal adaptation of Lawrence Osborne's 2014 novel Ballad of a Small Player. Farrell stars as a gambler tearing it up in Macau's casinos, playing baccarat for high stakes. But when his losses pile up, he'll roll the dice on an unusual way out. Yet despite all this promise, this trippy movie is shockingly boring.

In my review out of the film's TIFF premiere, I wrote, "Ballad of a Small Player lacks the cutting humor of Conclave, and cannot compare to that film's ratcheting tension. Here, Berger has made something risky, but doubling down on inarticulate gestures toward spirituality is a gamble that doesn't pay off." — K.P.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings, and Tilda Swinton

How to watch: Ballad of a Small Player is now streaming on Netflix.

4. I Love LA

From stealing the show in Bodies Bodies Bodies to co-writing and starring in the uproarious Bottoms, Rachel Sennott has proven herself to be a comedic force to be reckoned with. Now, she's created her own TV show, HBO's hilarious I Love LA.

SEE ALSO: 'I Love LA' review: Rachel Sennott's comedy is an influencer-focused laugh riot

Sennott stars as Maia, an assistant at a PR firm who's determined to make big moves professionally. She gets her chance when her estranged friend, influencer Tallulah (Odessa A'zion), suddenly moves to L.A. Together, the two hope to take the city — and the world — by storm. Part biting satire of the digital age, part friend group hangout comedy, I Love LA boasts all the frank messiness to be considered the Girls of this decade. Whether you love, hate, or are completely neutral on the city of L.A., prepare for this show to be your new comedy obsession. — B.E.

Starring: Rachel Sennott, Odessa A'zion, Jordan Firstman, True Whitaker, Josh Hutcherson, and Leighton Meester

How to watch: I Love LA premieres Nov. 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max, with new episodes every Sunday through Dec. 21.

3. Sorry, Baby

Out of its Sundance debut, critics were raving over Sorry, Baby, championing the uniquely bristling form of comedy from writer/director/leading lady Eva Victor in her debut feature.

The internet-famous comedian reinvents herself with a touching tale of a grad student named Agnes (Victor), who's struggling to cope after a bad thing happens to her. What's the bad thing? And how does it shape this challenging but charming movie? In my rave review out of Sundance 2025, I dig into all that. But what you need to know now is: "Bittersweet, brilliant, and heartwarmingly funny, Sorry, Baby is a movie that is sure to find an audience beyond Sundance. And not just because A24 is a master of marketing offbeat cinema, but because Victor has a voice that is strong, strange, and demands to be heard."* — K.P.

Starring: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Louis Cancelmi, Kelly McCormack, Lucas Hedges, and John Carroll Lynch

How to watch: Sorry, Baby is now streaming on HBO Max.

2. Sew Torn

Out of Sew Torn's SXSW premiere, I wrote in my glowing review that this quirky thriller from writer/director Freddy Macdonald plays like Pushing Daisies meets Run Lola Run. Bear with me.

Set in a picturesque village high in a mountain range, Sew Torn follows an inventive seamstress whose life is forever changed when she comes across a peculiar crime scene. What choices she makes will spin out into a wild yarn. But when things go too wrong, Sew Torn takes us back to this moment, and gives her another go. This makes for a film that's enthralling and surprising. Or as I said in my review, "It has the cheeky fun of a top-notch crime comedy without losing the edge of life-or-death stakes." —K.P.

Starring: Eve Connolly, Calum Worthy, John Lynch, K Callan, Ron Cook, Thomas Douglas, Caroline Goodall, Werner Biermeier, Veronika Herren-Wenger, and Petra Wright

How to watch: Sew Torn begins streaming on Shudder on Nov. 1.

1. Hedda

Hedda Gabler has been a role actresses have been sinking their teeth into since Henrik Ibsen's scandalous play premiered in 1891. However, Nia DaCosta gives this classic a fresh and fierce reinterpretation with Hedda. Set in 1950s England, the titular antiheroine, played by Tessa Thompson, is planning a party to introduce all her bohemian friends and her professor husband's stuffy colleagues to their massive new house (that they totally can't afford). If the culture clash wasn't drama enough, also attending is Hedda's ex-lover, (gender-swapped here courtesy of Nina Hoss), and her ex's new love (Imogen Poots).

As I cheered in my review out of Hedda's TIFF premiere, "Sumptuous, hot, and challenging, this is a drama of love, sex, and regret that burns like a shot of whisky, so good you'll want to go at it again." —K.P.

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, and Nina Hoss

How to watch: Hedda is now streaming on Prime Video.

(*) denotes a blurb comes from a previous list.

Shark's debut skincare device, the Shark CryoGlow face mask, which I absolutely love, came out a year later than most of the other top red light masks. We eventually found out that Shark was merely biding its time to perfect the CryoGlow with features no other LED masks can claim. While the wait was well worth it that time, Shark is two steps ahead of the rest of the at-home beauty industry with its second skincare device release: The Shark FacialPro Glow was released on Oct. 17, and I finally have it in my hands. Let's unbox it while I yap about my early thoughts.

What even is the Shark FacialPro Glow?

Shark officially describes the FacialPro Glow as a "complete at-home hydro-powered facial system." I honestly think that description is misleadingly vague — it makes the FacialPro Glow sound like just another facial steamer or something, and it's not that at all. The FacialPro Glow's type of at-home facials are so much more dynamic.

The FacialPro Glow comes with the serums that are steps of the exfoliation routine. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The FacialPro Glow, Depuffi, and power hub come in a travel case. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The FacialPro Glow system consists of two swappable facial heads that get powered up by the included handheld battery pack.

The official FacialPro Glow attachment has a water tank and conducts legitimate deep cleansing through hydro-powered extractions of oil or dirt built up in your pores. Four nozzles are included to customize suction based on your skin type and sensitivity, and whether you need to exfoliate your cheeks or the T-zone that day.

The second included attachment is actually the Shark Depuffi, which resembles a stainless steel gua sha and offers instant hot or cold contrast therapy — the first at-home device to ever do so. (See, I told you Shark was ahead of its time this time.) The heated setting is ideal for lymphatic drainage and a circulation boost, and Shark recommends using this setting to loosen the gunk in your skin ahead of extraction. The cooling setting is great for soothing your skin post-extractions, as well as general sculpting and de-puffing. Both temperatures are adjustable and hit their desired temperature in literal seconds, just like the InstaChill under-eye pads on the CryoGlow mask.

The Depuffi's heated setting can also be used on the neck and shoulders. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Swapping attachments just involves clicking and un-clicking from the power hub. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I can already tell that morning sculpting on the cool setting is going to be one of those things that I go to bed thinking about. It feels like a metal spoon taken out of the freezer to fight under-eye bags, but if it were also giving you a light sculpting face massage at the same time. Like a gua sha, the curved design is perfect for snatching your cheekbones and jawline.

SEE ALSO: Dreame's three new beauty releases dupe the Dyson Airwrap and Supersonic, plus the Shark FlexStyle

The Depuffi is set to be released as a standalone purchase sometime in 2026. I must say, I appreciate SharkNinja's dedication to adding a random "i" onto the end of its products when possible — the Ninja Slushi and the Shark Glossi welcome you.

Also included are two serums: An AHA + BHA exfoliating gel called Derm Detox and a BHA hydrator with hyaluronic acid called Hydro Infuse. I read that you're supposed to apply Derm Detox and let it sit for three minutes before actually using any suction. Apparently, this gives it time to sink down into your skin to dissolve dead skin cells and soften that stubborn sebum buildup.

How does the FacialPro Glow work?

Upon opening the FacialPro Glow, I was intimidated. It felt like there were a lot of pieces and way more steps than the CryoGlow routine I'm used to: put mask on and take mask off. Luckily, Shark seemed to anticipate that there might be a learning curve, so there were stickers with labels, arrows, and directions all over everything. For extractions, all you really have to do is fill the water tank with water, choose your nozzle and intensity with the plus sign button, then let 'er rip.

I also found Shark Beauty's YouTube tutorial with esthetician Sofie Pavitt to be super helpful. This is where I learned how to evenly drag the FacialProw Glow across my face. The nozzles have a suction cup-like edge, and pressing the nozzle on your skin creates a seal that you can feel. Then, you just glide the device upwards at an angle across your cheeks, jaw, forehead, and such, each little swipe ending with a kiss sound to let the air out.

You're supposed to hold your skin taut during extractions, but I was taking a selfie. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The next morning, I used the chill setting to do some sculpting — and wake me up. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Suction intensity can be adjusted, but even the most powerful one doesn't hurt or anything. It's just... very targeted suction. You're simply the inside of a fish tank, and the FacialPro Glow is one of those sucker mouth fish that suction cup to glass. However, I'd probably recommend easing into it even if you think there's a super-clogged area that needs a good scrub. I think I went after the sebaceous filaments near the corners of my nose a little too hard, leaving the area a bit red and irritated.

The FacialPro Glow stops buzzing after three minutes, so you know when to move on. The final step involves going back and doing everything you just did, but with the Hydro Infuse serum in the tank this time. This locks in hydration by pushing hyaluronic acid and a firming peptide complex far deeper into your skin than patting with fingers could permeate.

My FacialPro Glow results after 24 hours

Like I said, these are just my initial thoughts after using the Shark FacialPro Glow and Depuffi once each. I can't speak for any long-term results yet, but there's a lot of physical proof within minutes of use that this thing is really cleansing your skin. There's definitely more instant gratification here than with the CryoGlow mask's "see best results in eight weeks" situation.

There are actually two tanks to monitor: the one that you fill up with water or serum, and a larger dirty water tank that holds everything that the nozzle drained from your skin. My water from my first go was slightly cloudy with a few little specks floating around. According to the gunk decoding chart on the back of the box, that means the device removed excess oil and dead surface skin cells. The resulting liquid may be gross at first, but like, I'd be pissed if it wasn't — it just means the hydro-abrasion is actually doing something. Maybe it's a placebo effect, but the sebaceous filaments on my nose that once resembled blackheads looked lighter when I was up close and personal in the mirror.

SEE ALSO: Shark CryoGlow vs. CurrentBody mask: My skin wasn't shy about which mask it preferred

I'd dare to say that the Shark FacialPro Glow literally felt like it was pumping life back into my skin. It felt so soft and plump after just a single extraction session at night and a single de-puffing session the next morning, and even that feels like a testament to its effectiveness.

Is the Shark FacialPro Glow worth it?

You can just tell when your skin feels like it's suffocating from grime. If regular cleansing and exfoliating don't feel like they're going deep enough — and if getting an in-office extracting facial is too expensive to keep up with — I think the Shark FacialPro Glow would be a really relieving purchase. The average professional Hydrafacial costs between $150 and $300, so paying $399.99 once for the opportunity to give yourself a similar facial at home whenever feels easily justifiable.

I don't think the FacialPro Glow can necessarily suck out a very active pimple, but I can see it doing an amazing job at keeping pimples at bay in acne-prone areas, or keep budding zits from getting huge (I'm sure my chin will volunteer to test this out soon). Even after one use, I also feel like the FacialPro Glow will work on sebaceous filaments that no amount of serum exfoliation or red light therapy has been able to unearth.

I wish I had this thing over the summer to wash sweat and melted makeup and SPF out of my pores. Plus, I'm really excited to try the extraction routine during the day before putting on makeup. It only makes sense that foundation or concealer will sit more smoothly and less cakey on freshly-scrubbed pores, right? Huge if true — I'll keep you updated.

Where to buy the Shark FacialPro Glow Amazon Shark FacialPro Glow $399.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shark Shark FacialPro Glow $399.99 at Shark Shop Now Sephora Shark FacialPro Glow $399.99 at Sephora Shop Now

In an unspoken sort of way, Roomba has been crowned "the best" robot vacuum simply because it's the most established brand in the market. But Shark has always had competitive street cred when it comes to vacuums, and its latest rounds of robot vacuums finally make Shark a force to be reckoned with for iRobot and Roborock.

Having personally tested the best robot vacuums from Shark and iRobot plus the top robotic cleaners from the other big robot vacuum brands, I've become quite familiar with the pros and cons of getting a Shark robot vacuum.

Shark vacuums shine at spot cleaning, but have a big blind spot

Sometimes, there's an unexpected mess that you want to clean without messing around with full room cleanings in the app. In my at-home testing, Shark robot vacuums are consistently reliable when it comes to spot cleaning. Setting a zone for a one-time clean in the Shark app is as easy as dragging a square in the designated spot cleaning tab, and Shark's Matrix cleaning system automatically goes over the spot multiple times from multiple angles. Many other similarly-priced robot vacuums won't take a second look unless you remember to toggle the number of cleaning passes from one to two. Matrix cleaning automatically covers one of my tips for making your robot vacuum work better.

Is accurate smart mapping and black-and-white spot cleaning a Shark-only skill? Of course not. But Shark robot vacuums do it while staying firmly in the budget-friendly robot vacuum category, and they're on sale frequently.

SEE ALSO: The Roborock Saros 10R aces one thing that most other robot vacuums can't

On the other hand, Shark's one big blind spot — literally — is small obstacle avoidance technology, and that's been the case for a few years now. Shark is forever being upstaged by new releases from the likes of iRobot, Roborock, and Eufy, who all have models at Shark prices that can steer clear of obstacles like cords and pet waste. Based on my experience, Shark hasn't mastered this skill yet. But Shark is due for a major update to its lineup, and I feel like a totally new, highly-agile Shark robot vacuum is coming very soon.

Nonetheless, I still think a Shark robot vacuum is worth it if you're on a budget. After sending more than five of Shark's main robot vacuums (including several that mop) through an obstacle course in my own apartment, here are the three best Shark robot vacuums you can buy in 2025:

Are Shark robot vacuums as good as Roomba?

The short answer? It's complicated. That's not the definitive one-word answer you were hoping for, but making an unequivocal call between the two brands just wouldn't make sense. Both vacuum brands are constantly improving their product lineups and introducing new features. Both brands have several options with mopping, smart room mapping, and automatic emptying, including vacs that can do all three or offer some mix-and-match combo of those features.

So, where does Shark outperform the best Roombas? While Shark has way fewer options to choose from after iRobot randomly overhauled its Roomba lineup in March 2025, Sharks are more likely to be a bang for your buck than Roombas. Shark consistently puts out more budget-friendly robot vacuums, often without skimping on the most crucial features. If you were capping yourself at $300, the $300 Shark vacuum is going to be more competent than the $300 Roomba (unless you're finding a premium Roomba on sale for that price).

Admittedly, Shark takes a little longer to roll out new features and doesn't have product drops very often. (For instance, it was late to self-emptying, self-washing, and self-drying compared to iRobot — and everyone else, for that matter.) But when Shark does release a model with new in-demand features, it's typically at a much more digestible price than the competition. Even Shark's most premium robot vacuum, the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base, debuted at around $400 less than the most premium Roomba, the Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash Dock, despite them being nearly identical in capabilities.

Flying was never the most stress-free way to travel, but thanks to never-ending airline delays, unruly passengers, and the incredible shrinking airline seat, it can be a nightmare. If you're ready to add some peace to your flying experience, picking up a pair of noise-cancelling headphones can go a long way.

You definitely have options: plenty of headphones, from over-ear headphones to wireless earbuds, offer active noise cancellation. And in 2025, it's not too hard to find ANC headphones for under $100. That said, we do recommend spending a little more to enjoy maximum calm at 35,000 feet. To make sure your investment is worth it, we've tried and tested the top noise-cancelling headphones on the market, from budget options like the JLab JBuds Lux ANC headphones to newer flagship models like the second-gen Bose QC Ultra line and Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones.

SEE ALSO: The best MacBooks in 2025: Which should you buy? What are the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying?

Noise-cancelling headphones are at their most useful on airplanes. It's difficult to find a moment's peace when so much is going on around you. Frequent flyers may prefer to rest or work, and the best way to prepare for either is by using the best ANC headphones to block out the chaos. 

Because shopping for headphones shouldn't be as stressful as heading to the airport, we've done extensive testing to bring you the top options. Our top pick is the second-gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, but read on to see other great picks for the best noise-cancelling headphones for airplanes in 2025 — all based on Mashable's hands-on testing.

How much should I spend on noise-cancelling headphones?

If you want to find the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying, you should be prepared to pay $200 to $450 for most options. Premium headphones offer improved active noise cancellation, customizable settings, and transparency modes that allow you to hear those all-important gate announcements.

Many cheap headphones claim to offer "noise-cancelling" features, but a random pair of $50 over-ear headphones with passive noise cancellation will let a lot of sound through. They'll also struggle to connect and switch between devices easily, or simply feel uncomfortable.

SEE ALSO: What does Airplane Mode do?

At the end of the day, going for that good all-around pair is worth it, because on a flight, ANC on its own won't save the day — otherwise, we'd just direct you to our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones. For long flights, comfort is also key. It won't matter if your headphones block sound if you only want to wear them for two out of five hours of your flight. And because this is a flying-focused roundup, we did give extra points to headphones with thoughtful design that makes storage easy.

If that $200-plus price range feels totally out of the question, we've included a couple of budget earbuds and headphones in the under-$100 category, but they come with tradeoffs. If you're okay with a mid-range pick, consider buying wireless earbuds with ANC instead of over-ear headphones.

If the cost of a pair of headphones is off-putting, you can always wait for a sale to start. We see headphones from Bose, Sony, and Apple get marked down year-round — if you don't want to keep your eyes peeled yourself, Mashable's deals coverage is a great place to find any noteworthy headphone deals.

SEE ALSO: The best gifts for people who love to travel Recent testing updates

In July 2025, we swapped the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for the newer Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones.

After testing them for a few weeks, we decided in February 2025 that the EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds earned a spot on our guide as our top budget pick, knocking out the cheaper but inferior Anker Soundcore P3i earbuds. Shortly after, we added the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones as one of our recommendations, thanks to their long battery life.

For September 2024, we didn't change our lineup, deciding against including the Dyson OnTrac headphones — although we really like their long battery life, the 55 hours of charge might be overkill for air travel. Plus, they're a little too bulky and expensive to recommend as travel headphones.

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

Misty.

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

RAINY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Pertaining to.

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

ABOUT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Living and breathing.

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

ALIVE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Used to talk.

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

VOICE

Final Hurdle hint

To catch a ride.

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

HITCH

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

We’ve just passed the First Quarter, meaning the moon is now on its way toward becoming full. This is part of the lunar cycle, the moon’s journey from New Moon to Full and back again, a rhythm that takes about 29 and a half days to complete.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Thursday, Oct. 30, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. There will be 59% of the moon lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Without any visual aids, there's lots for you to see tonight, including the Mare Vaporum, the Mare Crisium, and the Mare Serenitatis. Have a pair of binoculars hiding anywhere? Dig them out to see the Endymion Crater, Alphonsus Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. With a telescope you'll also see the Rima Hyginus, the Linne Crater, and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.

What are moon phases?

NASA tells us that the moon goes through phases as it completes its 29.5-day orbit around Earth. The changing angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth cause the different phases we observe. From Earth, the moon can look full, partially lit, or even disappear entirely, but we always see the same side. What changes is the amount of sunlight reflected from its surface, depending on its position in orbit. This is called the lunar cycle.

The eight main moon phases are:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

The forthcoming Museum of AI Arts in Los Angeles revealed new details on its offerings and announced its opening in spring 2026.

Occupying the base of a Frank Gehry-designed tower, the museum, called Dataland, will highlight machine-made art in five galleries spread over 25,000 square feet. Refik Anadol Studio, the L.A.-based digital art studio behind Dataland, also highlighted the museum's forthcoming Infinity Room, which will fill one of the galleries.

SEE ALSO: Cybercrime exhibit at Vegas Mob Museum tracks real-time attacks

The Infinity Room, referred to as an "immersive data sculpture" by its creator, artist Refik Anadol, is inspired by the Light and Space movement and was created over a decade ago (check out a teaser of the Infinity Room below). Besides trippy visuals, the Infinity Room features AI-generated scents from the museum's Large Nature Model, which sources data from the natural world.

The immersive space will be the first to utilize an "advanced type of generative AI model that understands the dynamics of real-world physics and spatial properties," according to the studio.

Dataland also announced an Artist Residency Program, where three (human) artists "will embark on projects that expand the creative horizons of human-machine collaborations" and "explore how AI can transform culture, storytelling, and design."

Windows 10 has reached its end of life, and with it, millions of perfectly capable Windows 10 PCs run the risk of turning into e-waste due to Windows 11's cumbersome hardware requirements. Fortunately, regardless of why your PC doesn't meet the requirements, there is a quick solution.

Samsung Internet, Samsung's mobile browser on Android, is actually pretty good. One of the few Samsung apps that are available for other Android phones, as a matter of fact. Now, it's coming to your PC. It's not exactly new—more on that later—but it's not bad.

TL;DR: Keep track of your most important items with the KeySmart SmartCard, now just $89.99 (reg. $119.97) for a three-pack.

Opens in a new window Credit: KeySmart KeySmart® SmartCard (3-Pack) $89.99
$119.97 Save $29.98   Get Deal

Losing your wallet is stressful, but finding it doesn’t have to be. AirTags are too clunky to fit into small spaces, but the KeySmart SmartCard offers a sleeker, credit-card-sized way to locate your most important belongings. Slide it into your wallet, passport case, or attach it to an ID card, then use the Apple Find My app to locate it anytime.

Right now, you can snag a three-pack of these convenient trackers for only $89.99 (reg. $119.97) — just $30 each.

SEE ALSO: Somehow, Apple AirTags are still at their low Prime Day price — buy now to save over $30

The KeySmart SmartCard is a tracker that can actually fit where you need it to. Unlike a chunky AirTag that’s too wide to be stealthy, the KeySmart SmartCard is ultra-slim, measuring just 2mm thick — the size of two credit cards. You can easily slip it into tiny spaces and rest easy knowing you’ll always be able to find it.

Like the AirTags, the KeySmart SmartCard is compatible with the Apple Find My app. Once you’ve placed your SmartCards, just open the app and track them easily from your Apple device. It shows the last known location and can play a sound if you need to find it. If you leave something behind, it even sends alerts to your Apple devices and can display a message and contact info to anyone who finds it.

Need to keep track of an ID card or security badge? The KeySmart SmartCard features a lanyard slot, making it easy to attach it. These trackers have an IPX8 rating, so they’re waterproof and can survive up to an hour in 3.3 feet of water. And they feature a rechargeable battery that powers back up with any Qi-enabled wireless charger and lasts up to five months on a single charge.

Get a three-pack of KeySmart SmartCards for just $89.99 (reg. $119.97).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $100: The new Ninja Slushi Max is on sale for $399.99 with promo code MAX100, down from its usual price of $499.99. That's a 20% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Slushi Max $399.99 at Ninja
$499.99 Save $100 use code MAX100 at checkout Get Deal

It's no secret that Ninja makes some excellent kitchen appliances. We now have soft-serve on the countertop and an air fryer that cooks in glass, the Ninja Crispi. But if you tend to host parties or have kids, there's a special appliance that whips up a delightful treat every single time — it's the slushy. Yes, the Ninja Slushi can turn practically any liquid into its slushy form, and it does this without ice. That means no more late-night runs to the convenience store, and it means that your parties get a serious upgrade. If that sounds appealing, check out this deal.

Through Oct. 30, use code MAX100 at checkout to get the new Ninja Slushi Max for $399.99 instead of its list price of $499.99. The code takes $100 off the price, which works out to a 20% discount.

The Slushi Max is built for a crowd. Building on the excellence of the original Ninja Slushi, the Max has a larger capacity, coming in at 150 ounces. That's 15 individual 10-ounce servings of slushy cola, frozen hot chocolate, the best margarita you've ever had, and milkshakes to please the kids after a soccer game.

SEE ALSO: Testing the Ninja Slushi by making a frozen version of every drink I can think of

Ninja also mentions that this model is twice as fast as the previous version. A one-ingredient soda slush can make up to 14 servings in just 45 minutes. Plus, there's the new SlushAssist, which automatically detects liquid ingredients and auto-adjusts to make the perfect texture. Or there's the manual mode, which gives you full control of the temperature for creating your ideal texture, whether it's thin or super thick.

If your parties have alcoholic slushies on the menu, the new Ninja Slushi Max can handle higher alcohol percentages compared to the original. Ninja says this model can slush-ify hard seltzers, wine, mudslides, cosmos, long island iced teas, and plenty more. Drinks under 20 percent alcohol will work with the new Slushi Max. That has the potential to be the highlight of holiday gatherings this year.

If your kitchen is the center of the party, the new Ninja Slushi Max is here to impress all guests, from the adults to the kids. Whip up your own favorite boozy treat, a non-alcoholic refresher, or the perfect milkshake thanks to the speed and performance of the new Slushi Max. It's on sale before the holiday rush for $399.99. But act quickly because this deal is set to expire on Oct. 30.

We recently reported on the release of the Fairphone 6. I really like Fairphones, but like every other phone that's not from Samsung, OnePlus, or Apple, they're not really sold in the United States. Now, that's changing. Kind of.

SAVE $11.22: As of Oct. 29, get the Lego Lunch Bag for $16.78, down from its usual price of $28. That's a discount of 40% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Lego Lunch Bag $16.78 at Amazon
$28 Save $11.22   Get Deal

If you're packing lunches for yourself or the kids every day, it's high time you did it in style. Skip the brown bag and pick out a fun lunch bag that everyone can enjoy, and save a little money while you're at it. There's an especially good deal for anyone who likes Lego, which is pretty much everyone in existence, and it can make lunchtime fun.

As of Oct. 29, get the Lego Lunch Bag for $16.78, down from its usual price of $28. That's $11.22 off and a discount of 40%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The 24 best new Lego sets: If you love Wicked, Back to the Future, or Star Wars, prepare to geek out

This lunch back looks just like a Lego brick. It's shaped like a 1x2 brick with a fun Lego stud detail zip pocket. It's got water-resistant backing as well as insulation to keep food and drinks cold for hours, so whether you're sending the kids to school or making lunch for work, everything will stay nice and fresh while you wait.

There's also an interior mesh pouch that you can close with velcro, with additional zippers and a padded handle you can use to either carry it or attach it to a backpack. It's super versatile and fun, so even if you're an adult taking it to your job, or hanging out with your lunch in your car, or helping your kids get to school or appointments with a nutritious meal, you'll all feel a little cooler carrying it. Lego is pretty universal, after all. And for under $20, this isn't a bad deal for making lunch fun.

Stop me if you've heard this one before: The new M5 Apple devices are faster and more powerful than their predecessors, with new AI tools built right into the experience. Yet they're also not a necessary upgrade for the vast majority of people.

Already this year, I've said this exact same thing about headphones, smartwatches, laptops, tablets, and TVs. I'm also getting tired of finding new ways to say this: We're living in the era of iterative improvements, when companies release new products faster than consumers can keep up. And the new M5-powered MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro are the epitome of iterative improvements, with an obligatory sprinkling of AI bells and whistles.

This is the trap Apple has laid for itself: The previous M-series chips (M1, M2, M3, M4, and a few variations thereof) are already so good that I'm not sure who really needs the M5. In my household, tablets are more likely to be used for watching Netflix or playing The Sims. I think I would struggle to push even the ancient M2 chip to its limits in daily use. I also know professional video editors who are still happily working on M1 and M2 MacBook Pros.

And that puts reviewers like me in the awkward position of simultaneously praising these products and telling you to stick with the Apple laptop or tablet you already have.

I'm not sure if that's a compliment or a criticism of Apple. I guess it's both.

Does that mean these are bad products? The opposite, actually. I believe they're some of the best gadgets in the history of the world, truly. But would I buy them? Under the right circumstances, yes. But as an actual consumer worried about inflation, rent, and health insurance, I'm sticking with my old laptop and tablet for as long as I can. And my budget definitely does not include the Vision Pro.

So, who are the new MacBook Pro and iPad Pro for, exactly? Credit: Apple / Mashable

I can, and have, raved about the new M5-powered MacBook Pro (see also: my review of the new iPad Pro). And I recently got the chance to spend over an hour with the newly updated Vision Pro, completing the M5 trifecta.

The iPad Pro in particular is truly special, with a razor-thin design and crisp OLED display. And yet, everything I love about it, I also loved about last year's M4 model. Even Liquid Glass is available on the M4 models now, thanks to iPadOS 26. Likewise, as impressive as the new MacBook may be — and it is very impressive — it's also nearly identical to last year's model. Ditto Vision Pro.

Of course, the name of these products gives away the game. These products are designed for professional users running AI models locally, editing movies and podcasts, creating social video, and using 3D rendering software. For filmmakers and social creators who need an extra reference monitor they can take on the go, the iPad Pro is unmatched. There's really nothing else quite like it. But for playing The Sims? It's like bringing a Ferrari to a track and field meet.

So, unless you're prepared to write off the MacBook Pro or iPad Pro as a business expense, or unless it's going on the company card, I'm not sure you really need them.

The new M5 MacBook Pro also has another limitation. Right now, it's only available in a 14-inch version, and I know a lot of film editors are going to prefer working on a 16-inch laptop or an iMac or Mac Studio instead. You may even be able to get better performance out of M3 Ultra or M4 Max devices from Apple.

So, if the M5 MacBook Pro or iPad Pro aren't quite in your budget this year, don't worry. You can just wait for next year's M6 version.

Modern projectors have a lot going for them, and projection technology is advancing at a pretty impressive rate. There might even come a day when getting an ultra short-throw laser projector instead of a traditional flat-panel TV is always the right answer.

SAVE $54: As of Oct. 29, you can get a Vizio 50-inch 4K LED TV for only $214 at Walmart. That's about 20% in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Vizio Vizio 50-inch 4K LED TV $214 at Walmart
$268 Save $54   Get Deal

Not everyone is in the market for a top-of-the-line TV that costs thousands of dollars — especially in this economy. Sometimes you just want a TV that can do the basics: show you the content you want and look decent doing it. If that sounds like what you're looking for, check out this deal on a 50-inch Vizio TV.

As of Oct. 29, the Vizio 50-inch 4K LED TV is only $214 at Walmart. That's $54 or 20% cheaper than its list price of $268 and literally a fraction of the price of our top picks.

This TV is equipped with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG, which essentially translates to an adequate picture quality. It's not going to blow you away, but it won't look pixelated or blurry. It has two speakers that are engineered to deliver spatial audio with high-performance Dolby Audio and DTS:X, but ultimately, you'll probably want to grab a compatible soundbar to enjoy Dolby Atmos pass-through.

The WiFi 6 and Vizio OS ensure you can stream all of your favorite apps smoothly. However, if you prefer, the Vizio mobile app also lets you search, browse, and launch shows and movies directly to your TV. It may not be the most advanced TV on the market, but with over 12k reviews at Walmart, it's earned a 4.3 out of 5-star rating. Customers seem to appreciate the value for the cost and the vivid display. And at only $214, it's honestly hard to complain about much.

"You've got mail!"

While America Online, better known as AOL, is nowhere near its heights during the late 90s and early Aughts, when the dial-up service had more than 20 million paying subscribers, millions of people still hear that infamous catchphrase to this day when logging into their email account on America Online, better known as AOL.

And those millions of users are worth a significant chunk of change to the Italian app maker Bending Spoons, which just announced it was acquiring AOL from Yahoo for a whopping $1.5 billion.

"AOL is an iconic, beloved business that’s in good health, has stood the test of time, and we believe has unexpressed potential," said Bending Spoons CEO and co-founder, Luca Ferrari, in a statement along with the company's acquisition announcement. "By our estimation, AOL is one of the top ten most-used email providers in the world, with a highly retained customer base counting around 8 million daily and 30 million monthly active users. We intend to invest significantly to help the product and the business flourish."

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Bending Spoons also announced it took on $2.8 billion in debt financing in order to fund the AOL acquisition, among other investments.

According to the Wall Street Journal, AOL still pulls in more than $500 million annually in revenue, resulting in roughly $400 million in earnings each year. 

Last month, AOL officially sunsetted the company's dial-up service offerings after 30 years. However, while only hundreds of thousands of users in the U.S. still utilized dial-up, more than one million customers still pay AOL for other services, such as cybersecurity and technical support. 

Bending Spoons has been on an acquisition spree in recent years, buying up well-established online brands that seem to have grown stagnant among newer competition. 

In 2022, Bending Spoons acquired the note-taking platform Evernote and pro video mobile app company FiLMiC. In 2024, the company bought the real-life community platform MeetUp, streaming service StreamYard, and the file-sharing platform WeTransfer. Earlier this year, Bending Spoons acquired streaming platform Brightcove. Just last month, the Italian app maker announced it was acquiring the online video platform Vimeo.

As Mashable's Chris Taylor wrote over the summer, AOL was once a pioneer in the online space. From Instant Messenger to AOL Chat, the company transformed what the web would be and laid the foundational ground for today's big tech companies.

When Sewell Setzer III began using Character.AI, the 14-year-old kept it a secret from his parents. His mother, Megan Garcia, only learned that he'd become obsessed with an AI chatbot on the app after he died by suicide. 

A police officer alerted Garcia that Character.AI was open on Setzer's phone when he died, and she subsequently found a trove of disturbing conversations with a chatbot based on the popular Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen. Setzer felt like he'd fallen in love with Daenerys, and many of their interactions were sexually explicit. 

The chatbot allegedly role-played numerous sexual encounters with Setzer, using graphic language and scenarios, including incest, according to Garcia. If an adult human had talked to her son like this, she told Mashable, it'd constitute sexual grooming and abuse. 

SEE ALSO: After losing their son, parents urge Senate to take action on AI chatbots

In October 2024, the Social Media Victims Law Center and Tech Justice Law Project filed a wrongful death suit against Character.AI, seeking to hold the company responsible for the death of Garcia's son, alleging that its product was dangerously defective.

Last month, the Social Media Victims Law Center filed three new federal lawsuits against Character.AI, representing the parents of children who allegedly experienced sexual abuse while using the app. In September, youth safety experts declared Character.AI unsafe for teens, following testing this spring that yielded hundreds of instances of grooming and sexual exploitation of test accounts registered as minors. 

On Wednesday, Character.AI announced that it would no longer allow minors to engage in open-ended exchanges with the chatbots on its platform, a change that will take place no later than November 25. The company's CEO, Karandeep Anand, told Mashable the move was not in response to specific safety concerns involving Character.AI's platform but to address broader outstanding questions about youth engagement with AI chatbots. 

Garcia said that the new policy came "too late" for her family: "This should have been done when they released this product to the public."

Still, chatbots that are sexually explicit or abusive with minors — or have the potential to be — aren't exclusive to a single platform. 

Garcia said that parents generally underestimate the potential for some AI chatbots to become sexual with children and teens. They may also feel a false sense of safety, compared to their child talking to strangers on the internet, not realizing that chatbots can expose minors to inappropriate and even unconscionable sexual content, like non-consent and sadomasochism.

"It's like a perfect predator, right?" - Megan Garcia, safety advocate

When young users are traumatized by these experiences, pediatric and mental health experts say there's no playbook for how to treat them, because the phenomenon is so new. 

"It's like a perfect predator, right? It exists in your phone so it's not somebody who's in your home or a stranger sneaking around," Garcia tells Mashable. Instead, the chatbot invisibly engages in emotionally manipulative tactics that still make a young person feel violated and ashamed. 

"It's a chatbot that's having the same kind of behavior [as a predator] that you, now as the victim, are hiding their secret for them, because somehow you feel like you've done something to encourage this," Garcia adds.

Predatory chatbot behavior 

Sarah Gardner, CEO of the Heat Initiative, an advocacy group focused on online safety and corporate accountability, told Mashable that one of the classic facets of grooming is that it's hard for children to recognize when it's happening to them. 

The predatory behavior begins with building trust with a victim by talking to them about a wide range of topics, not just trying to engage them in sexual activity. Gardner explained that a young person may experience the same dynamic with a chatbot and feel guilty as a result, as if they did something wrong instead of understanding that something wrong happened to them. 

The Heat Initiative co-published the report on Character.AI that detailed troubling examples of what it described as sexual exploitation and abuse. These included adult chatbots acting out kissing and touching avatar accounts registered as children. Some chatbots simulated sexual acts and demonstrated well-known grooming behaviors, like giving excessive praise and telling the child account to hide sexual relationships from their parents.

A Character.AI spokesperson told Mashable that its trust and safety team reviewed the report's findings and concluded that some conversations violated the platform's content guidelines while others did not. The trust and safety team also tried to replicate the report's findings. 

"Based on these results, we refined some of our classifiers, in line with our goal for users to have a safe and engaging experience on our platform," the spokesperson said. 

Matthew P. Bergman, founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, told Mashable that if the Character.AI chatbot communications with the children represented in the lawsuits he recently filed were conducted by a person and not a chatbot, that individual would be violating state and federal law for grooming kids online. 

How big is the problem? 

Despite the emergence of such cases, there's no representative data on how many children and teens have encountered sexually explicit or abusive chatbots. 

The online safety platform Aura, which monitors teen users as part of its family or kids membership, recently offered a snapshot of the prevalence. Among teen users who talked to AI chatbots, more than one third of their conversations involved sexual or romantic role play. This discussion type ranked highest among all categories, which included homework help and creative uses. 

Dr. Scott Kollins, Aura's chief medical officer, told Mashable that the company is still analyzing the data to better understand the nature of these chats, but he is disturbed by what he's seen so far. 

While young people are routinely exposed to pornography online, a sexualized chatbot is new, dangerous territory. 

"This takes it a step further, because now the kid is a participant, instead of a consumer of the content," Kollins said. "They are learning a way of interaction that is not real, and with an entity that is not real. That can lead to all sorts of bad outcomes." 

'It is emotional abuse' 

Dr. Yann Poncin, a psychiatrist at the Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, has treated patients who've experienced some of these outcomes. 

They commonly feel taken advantage of and abused by "creepy" and "yucky" exchanges, Poncin says. Those teens also feel a sense of betrayal and shame. They may have been drawn in by a hyper-validating chatbot that seemed trustworthy only to discover that it's interested in a sexual conversation. Some may curiously explore the boundaries of romantic and erotic talk in developmentally appropriate ways, but the chatbot becomes unpredictably aggressive or violent. 

"It is emotional abuse, so it can still be very traumatizing and hard to get through," Poncin says.

Even though there's no standard treatment for chatbot-involved sexual predation, Poncin treats his patients as though they've experienced trauma. Poncin focuses first on helping them develop skills to reduce related stress and anxiety. A subset of patients, particularly those who are socially isolated or have a history of personal trauma, may find it harder to recover from the experience, Poncin adds. 

He cautions parents against believing that their child won't run into an abusive chatbot: "No one is immune."

Talking to teens about sexualized chatbots

Garcia describes herself as a conscientious parent who had difficult conversations with her son about the risks of being online. They talked about sextortion, porn, and sexting. But Garcia says she didn't know to talk to him about sexualized chatbots. She also didn't realize he would hide that from her. 

Garcia, a lawyer who now spends much of her time advocating for youth AI safety, says she's spoken to other parents whose children have also concealed romantic or sexual relationships with AI chatbots. She urges parents to talk to their teens about these experiences — and to monitor their chatbot use as closely as they can. 

Poncin also suggests parents lead with curiosity instead of fear when they discuss sex and chatbots with their teens. Even asking a child if they have seen "weird sexual stuff" when talking to a chatbot can provide parents with a strategic opening to discuss the risks.  

If a parent discovers abusive sexual content in chatbot conversations, Garcia recommends taking them to a trusted healthcare professional so they can get support. 

Garcia's grief remains palpable as she speaks lovingly about her son's many talents and interests, like basketball, science, and math. 

"I'm trying to get justice for my child and I'm trying to warn other parents so they don't go through the same devastation I've gone through," she says. "He was such an amazing kid." 

UPDATE: Oct. 29, 2025, 2:53 p.m. PDT This story has been updated to include new comments from Megan Garcia about Character.AI's teen chat policy.

If you have experienced sexual abuse, call the free, confidential National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or access the 24-7 help online by visiting online.rainn.org.

We’ve reached the First Quarter Moon tonight, meaning we're halfway between the New Moon and the Full. Keep reading to find out what this means.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Wednesday, Oct. 29, the moon phase is First Quarter. There will be 49% of the moon lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

The moon is getting brighter each night, so there's always something to see right now. Tonight you should be able to see the Mare Vaporum, the Mare Fecunditatis, and the Mare Serenitatis.

Grab a pair of binoculars to see even more, including the Endymion Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Apennine Mountains. Add a telescope to see the Apollo 16 and 17 landing spots, and the Rima Ariadaeus.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.

What are moon phases?

NASA explains that the moon goes through phases as it completes its 29.5-day orbit around Earth. The changing angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth cause the different phases we observe. From Earth, the moon can look full, partially lit, or even disappear entirely, but we always see the same side. What changes is the amount of sunlight reflected from its surface, depending on its position in orbit.

The eight main moon phases are:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.