IT General

Critical Role fans, heres your first look at The Mighty Nein Origins on WEBTOON

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 15:00

It's a great time to be a Critter. Critical Role's fourth campaign is in full swing, and their second animated series, The Mighty Nein, just premiered on Prime Video.

That's not the end of The Mighty Nein goodness, though! This Sunday, Nov. 23, WEBTOON will be launching Critical Role and Dark Horse's The Mighty Nein Origins graphic novels as a reformatted vertical scroll comic — and Mashable has your exclusive first look.

SEE ALSO: 'The Mighty Nein' review: Critical Role hits new highs with their darkest series yet

This prequel series delves deep into the pasts of the outcasts who will one day grow to be the heroic Mighty Nein. From Caleb Widogast's traumatic time at the Soltryce Academy to Mollymauk Tealeaf's first visit to the Fletching and Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities, there's tons to unpack in each story.

The first story to hit WEBTOON is that of everyone's favorite blue chaos agent, Jester Lavorre. As the daughter of the celebrated courtesan the Ruby of the Sea, Jester's childhood is anything but ordinary. Things get even stranger when this budding prankster encounters the Traveler, a trickster deity who encourages her mischief-making. Covering everything from Jester's youth in Nicodranas to her first meeting with the Traveler, The Mighty Nein Origins: Jester Lavorre unveils the wild pranks and mishaps that brought Jester to the Mighty Nein.

Below, get your first look at The Mighty Nein Origins in vertical scrolling form on WEBTOON.

What was Jester like before the Mighty Nein? Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON and Dark Horse What trouble have Jester's pranks gotten her into this time? Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON and Dark Horse "Technically..." Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON and Dark Horse I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON and Dark Horse Behold, the Traveler in all his glory. Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON and Dark Horse The citizens of Nicodranas had better watch out. Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON and Dark Horse What mischief will these two get up to next? Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON and Dark Horse

The first three episodes of The Mighty Nein Origins hit WEBTOON Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. ET. Five additional episodes will be available through Fast Pass, and the series updates every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Following Jester's arc, The Mighty Nein Origins will follow the same publication schedule as the original graphic novels, meaning Caleb's story is up next, followed by Yasha's.

The release of The Mighty Nein Origins as a webcomic is part of a partnership between Dark Horse and WEBTOON. Earlier in 2025, the two teamed up to make WEBTOON the online home of other Dark Horse titles like The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, Plants vs. Zombies, and The Legend of Korra.

Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins launches Nov. 23 on WEBTOON.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Kindle Paperwhite is back to its best-ever price for Black Friday — save over $30 at Amazon

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 14:43

SAVE OVER $30: The Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) is on sale for $124.99 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That's the lowest-ever price for this model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) $124.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $35.00   Get Deal

I spend a lot of my time searching for the best deals from across the internet, but I don't generally buy much for myself. Maybe I'm too deep in the world of online shopping to ever hit "buy now." It's not that I'm reluctant to spend. It's just that there's usually nothing I want to buy. That is until now.

I went into this busy shopping season with one thing on my shopping list: a new Kindle Paperwhite. I've owned a Paperwhite for many years and I love it, but I can only charge it if it's pressed up against the wall at a very specific angle. If the floor creaks in another room, the charge drops. This cannot go on, so I'm committed to finding a good price on a new device.

SEE ALSO: Stuff Your Kindle Day is live — score free romance books in the Closed-Door Book Blast until Nov. 22

And it looks like my search is over on the first day of Amazon's Black Friday sale. The Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) is on sale for $124.99 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That's the lowest-ever price for this model, only ever matched in the October Prime Day.

Mashable's Kindle expert, Samantha Mangino, declared in her review that the new Paperwhite "is the only one you need." Sure there are other e-readers out there, but I'm only shopping for the Kindle Paperwhite.

Score the best-ever price on the Kindle Paperwhite in the Amazon Black Friday sale.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Beat the DJI ban over Black Friday — get the best-ever price on the DJI Mini 4K drone at Amazon

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 13:43

SAVE $60: The DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $239 in the Amazon Black Friday sale (exclusively for Prime members). That's $60 off and the lowest-ever price for this model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mini 4K Drone $239 at Amazon
$299 Save $60   Get Deal

DJI has been in the news a lot lately, and no we're not talking about how much all the TikTokers, YouTubers, and filmmakers love the brand. Unfortunately, it's looking increasingly likely that DJI drones will be banned by the end of 2025. That's bad news for creatives, and makes this Black Friday even more important.

This could be the last chance to secure a good deal on DJI drones before they cease to exist in the U.S.

Do not panic, because the DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $239 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. According to camelcamelcamel, that's the lowest-ever price for this model. This deal is exclusive for Prime members, but you can always sign up for a 30-day free trial to make the most of this limited-time offer. With all the deals dropping over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it's a good time to be a member.

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It's worth noting that this drone is being sold by the Xingtai Store. We don't generally recommend purchasing from third-party sellers on Amazon, but DJI is obviously facing problems importing its drones right now, resulting in stock issues. With that in mind, we're making some allowances right now. And anyway, the Xingtai Store has excellent reviews, so we feel comfortable making this recommendation.

Score the DJI Mini 4K drone for its best-ever price in the Amazon Black Friday sale.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online today

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 13:09

Don't you just love it at this time of year? You're minding your own business, slowly approaching the end of the year, and then Black Friday hits you like a train, delivering huge discounts of MacBooks, Pokémon, Lego, and everything else on your shopping list. It's not exactly a relaxing period, but boy can you save a lot of cash. So buckle up, shoppers. We've got weeks of deals to check out.

The only way to survive and thrive over Black Friday is to do a little planning. We recommend bookmarking our many Black Friday pages so that our professional deal hunters can showcase all the offers that are genuinely worth your consideration. But besides that, we also suggest making the most out of the Black Friday ads released by leading retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.

SEE ALSO: The 40+ best early Black Friday deals: We found record prices on Apple gadgets, headphones, TVs, and robot vacuums

Looking for the Amazon Black Friday ad? Aren't we all. Amazon does things a little differently from other Black Friday retailers because it doesn't release a traditional Black Friday ad. Instead, Amazon announces its plans for Black Friday via a press release and then drops a boatload of deals when the time comes.

Amazon's Black Friday sale officially begins on Nov. 20 and runs through Dec. 1, with plenty of deals on offer throughout this bumper event. According to Amazon's official press release, these are the deals we can look forward from Nov. 20:

  • Up to 55% off select home products from Shark and kitchen appliances from Ninja

  • Up to 50% off Amazon devices like the Echo Dot Max, Fire TV Stick lineup, Fire tablets, and Kindles

  • Up to 50% off electronics from JBL and Canon

  • Up to 45% off Bose audio

  • Up to 40% off kitchen items from Vitamix, Staub, Nespresso, and more

  • Up to 40% on select floorcare from Bissell and iRobot

  • Up to 40% off home entertainment from Hisense, TCL, and LG

  • Up to 40% on toys from Melissa & Doug, Little Tykes, Play-Doh, and Nerf

  • Up to 35% on select Samsung and Google products

That's a strong lineup, but it's really only a small sample of what's to come. In fact, we're already seeing record-low prices on hot items like Apple products, Lego sets, and power stations.

Best early Black Friday Apple dealsAirTagsiPhonesApple WatchiPadsiMacsMac MinisMacbooksHeadphonesBest early Black Friday Lego dealsBest early Black Friday power station dealsBest early Black Friday headphones dealsBest early Black Friday smartwatch dealsBest early Black Friday video game dealsBest early Black Friday robot vacuum deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Toyota vs Honda: most reliable hybrid SUV 2025

How-To Geek - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 13:00

The hybrid car market has never been more crowded—or more exciting. Automakers worldwide are betting big on electrification, and gasoline-electric hybrids are leading the charge in popularity.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Cynthia Erivo explains the story behind her new meme

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 12:49

By now you've probably seen the meme of Cynthia Erivo standing in the street, holding up a hand and looking shocked — and now Erivo herself has explained the story behind it.

Appearing on The Tonight Show in the clip above, the Wicked: For Good star explains to Jimmy Fallon that it all came about after she lost one of her favorite hats at Wicked premiere in London last year. In 2025, a fan appeared in an autograph line outside an event in Paris, and told Erivo that she had the hat safe at home.

"So I said to her, 'Can I have it back?' She said 'I don't have it with me right now, it's in my house,'" Erivo explains. "I said, 'Well, when can we get it back?' She said, 'Can I get tickets to the premiere?' 'Listen, fine. Have them.' And she brought it back and I was reunited."

A happy ending for everyone.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Kohls Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online today

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 12:38

Ready to start shopping for the holidays? The Black Friday buzz is officially in full swing, with plenty of retailers already rolling out deals and discounts ahead of the biggest shopping day of the year. We're here to help you navigate the sales, and that starts with diving into the early Black Friday ads from top retailers like Best Buy, Target, and now Kohl's.

Kohl's already has a wide selection of discounted essentials for Black Friday across its entire retail footprint: home goods, clothes, electronics, and more.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy Black Friday ad: The best early deals you can buy online

Good news: We've already done the digging for you. We've gone through all the early Kohl's Black Friday ads to give you a clear picture of what's already available and what to expect for 2025. Check out some of the deals below that you can go ahead and shop right now.

Best early Black Friday tech dealsBest early Black Friday fitness tracker dealsBest early Black Friday home dealsBest early Black Friday robot vacuum dealsBest early Black Friday headphone deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

7 virtual machine mistakes to avoid

How-To Geek - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 12:30

I’ve been running virtual machines for nearly 20 years at this point, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way. From incorrect RAM allocation to forgetting to unmount the installation ISO, I've broken stuff on my journey. Here are seven mistakes I made that you should definitely avoid.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Home Depot Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online today

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 12:23

Black Friday really is just around the corner. Forget all the other festive celebrations that take place around this time of year. This is the one that really matters, because this is your opportunity to treat yourself. You deserve the best, and Black Friday can help you get the best for less.

You probably know this by now, but there's no need to wait for the last Friday of November to get all your shopping done. Sure, some great limited-time offers will likely drop on the big day, but major retailers have stretched this shopping holiday out to cover all of November and more. That's good news for shoppers with some stamina, because deal seekers can already search for Black Friday ads and early-access deals with popular retailers like Home Depot.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online early

Home Depot has joined the likes of Best Buy and Walmart by announcing its Black Friday plans, and the schedule is reassuringly straightforward. Home Depot's early Black Friday sale runs from Nov. 5-26. And then the official Home Depot Black Friday sale takes place from Nov. 27 (online only) to Dec. 3. We recommend checking out the Home Depot ad for a snapshot of what's included.

Last year, Home Depot gave away free cordless power tools with the purchase of select tool or battery kits by Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita, Ridgid, and Ryobi. This promotion was one of the most popular offers of Black Friday 2024, so we're hoping for more of the same this time around.

To get a sense of what's already available to buy online and what's still to come from Home Depot's Black Friday offering, we have dived headfirst into the ad to provide you with our favorite earlydeals of 2025:

Best early Black Friday cordless power tool dealsBest early Black Friday tool dealsBest early Black Friday home deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Lowes Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online today

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 12:09

We're still a week away from Black Friday, right? Wrong, Black Friday is very much up and running with major retailers already dropping their Black Friday ads and early-access deals. We understand if that doesn't immediately sound like great news. This busy shopping season requires careful planning and a good dose of stamina, but if you're willing to commit, you can walk away with everything on your wishlist for a fraction of the list price.

And you're not alone over Black Friday. We've very much got your back at this time of year, and that starts by checking out all the Black Friday ads dropped by leading retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Lowe's. The latter is planning to drop a wide range of impressive hardware and DIY deals through Black Friday and beyond. You can check out Lowe's Black Friday ads here.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online early

We recommend making a list of your top priorities, tracking price history, and then planning your time to pounce. Or alternatively, you could let us do all the work for you. We've gone ahead and investigated the Lowe's Black Friday ads to paint a picture of what's already available to buy in 2025:

Best early Black Friday tool dealsBest early Black Friday grills and outdoor cooking deals Best early Black Friday garden dealsBest early Black Friday holiday decoration dealsBest early Black Friday kitchen deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Im tired, so Stephen Colberts Detroit escaped goat story is all I want

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:46

Stephen Colbert spends day after day unpacking the news, namely the daily happenings with President Donald Trump, so on Wednesday night, the Late Show host pivoted into a segment he calls a "Refreshing Change Of Subject."

The subject? The curious case of Smokey the goat and the Psychedelic Healing Shack.

"Folks, I've been doing this job for about a decade, and I've seen some crazy stuff come over the transom, but once in a while, you come across a headline that no amount of experience could possibly prepare you for, one that shakes you to your very core," said Colbert. "Well, ladies and gentlemen, today I learned: Escaped goat causes chaos in Detroit, scared man jumps on car. Yes, and to that, I say: Escaped goat causes curiosity in host. Man, sick of Trump, jumps on story."

This type of local, animal-involved news is what I personally needed this morning, with Stephen Colbert unpacking the strange elements of a goat on the run through Detroit, scaring a man onto a car.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for November 20, 2025

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:40

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, Nov. 20, 2025:

AcrossSong on an album that you always avoid, colloquially

  • The answer is Skip.

Low-budget Chinese shopping site

  • The answer is Temu.

Strongly desire

  • The answer is Covet.

Opera solo

  • The answer is Aria.

Ivy League school with a statue of Ben Franklin

  • The answer is Ivy.

DownWalmart or Walgreens

  • The answer is Store.

"Home Alone" boy

  • The answer is Kevin.

"Let me rephrase that ..."

  • The answer is I Mean.

Set (down)

  • The answer is Put.

Toothpaste tube topper

  • The answer is Cap.

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

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 the latest Mini Crossword.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 20, 2025

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:35

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you take care of your teeth.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 20, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

  • Yellow: To attach

  • Green: To lightly touch

  • Blue: Found in one's mouth

  • Purple: Two syllables

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

  • Yellow: Adhere

  • Green: Graze

  • Blue: Parts of a tooth

  • Purple: Words that sound like two letters

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #893 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

  • Adhere: FIX, PASTE, PLASTER, STICK

  • Graze: BRUSH, KISS, SKIM, STROKE

  • Parts of a tooth: CROWN, ENAMEL, PULP, ROOT

  • Words that sound like two letters: ANY, ARTY, DECAY, ESSAY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 20, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Strands hints, answers for November 20, 2025

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:34

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always in the know.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 20, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 20, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Busybody buzz

The words are related to stories.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe the word on the street.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Spread the Word.

NYT Strands word list for November 20

  • Rumor

  • Report

  • Gossip

  • Hearsay

  • Spread the Word

  • Scuttlebutt

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 20, 2025

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:34

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're familiar with the dead.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 20, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 20, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A burial place.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

GRAVE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 20, 2025

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

Categories: IT General, Technology

A word of caution before you buy a Roomba this Black Friday, coming from a pro robot vacuum reviewer

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:00

A lot of robot vacuum shoppers may default to Roombas this Black Friday based on brand recognition alone. But as a professional robot vacuum reviewer, I'd urge everyone to think twice about buying a Roomba this year.

It's not that I don't think the Black Friday Roomba deals themselves won't be good — I'm sure that most of the main Roombas will hit new record-low prices at Amazon. But recent reports insinuate that Roombas haven't exactly been selling well this year, and iRobot's iffy fate is worrisome for future buyers. I have serious doubts about the longevity of the Roomba at this point.

SEE ALSO: My cats and I found the 8 best vacuums for pet owners, from powerful hair pickup to livestream cameras

"But aren't Roombas the robot vacuums of all robot vacuums? Isn't Black Friday prime time to find one on sale and bring home that Roomba street cred?" That's the thing: Roombas don't have much street cred anymore. iRobot is in deep water after its stock dropped considerably on Oct. 27. That was right after it was revealed that there are officially no more buyers in the running to acquire iRobot. (iRobot had been scrambling to find a buyer ever since the Amazon acquisition fell through in January 2024.)

Now is not the time to invest in a Roomba. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Remember when iRobot randomly overhauled the entire Roomba lineup back in March? It seems that revenue from those new Roombas hasn't been enough to rizz up a buyer. Not great, considering iRobot essentially gave itself 12 months from March to find a way to avoid going under. Will this be the last Black Friday that Roombas are up for grabs? Either way, it's not a wise time to gamble on a Roomba.

First, a technical concern: If iRobot does go out of business, does that mean that the app won't receive updates anymore? The new Roomba Home app that iRobot insisted we all switch to is already clunkier than the original iRobot app. For anyone who owns a Roomba, the app could become borderline unusable if iRobot no longer has a team to send bug fixes. I have similar questions about customer service.

SEE ALSO: As an anxious cat mom, I love my robot vacuum with a livestream camera

My other concern is one that I've had for almost a year: Roombas just aren't competitive robot vacuums anymore. While iRobot was once a pioneer of fancy new robot vacuum features, the 2025 Roombas that'll be on sale for Black Friday aren't innovative at all. We've seen all of their staple features, like small obstacle avoidance and self-washing and -drying mopping pads, in a ton of other practically-priced robot vacuums from brands like Roborock, Dreame, Narwal, and Eufy. And the suction power of these new Roombas is toast compared to what those other brands are offering.

Some hopeful robot vacuum buyers seem similarly unimpressed with the latest iRobot vacuums. A Nov. 5 query in the r/RobotVacuums subreddit posed the same question Reddit asks every year: "What robot vac is everybody looking to buy Black Friday?" Not one of the 50+ comments mentioned wanting a Roomba.

Some other robot vacuums in the Reddit wishlist do match up with vacs I'll be recommending. Both the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller and Roborock Saros 10R made appearances, which are the best robot vacuum mop combos that I've tested in 2025. I'm hoping that each drops to $999.99 this Black Friday. Their closest Roomba peer in price, the Roomba Max 705 Combo, is already at its Black Friday price of $899.99. IMO, that's not cheap enough to be worth it — it has significantly weaker suction power than the Aqua10 Ultra Roller and Saros 10R, and doesn't have a livestream pet camera.

SEE ALSO: Roborock Saros 10 vs. 10R: I narrowly crowned a winner after head-to-head testing at home

A few other Roborock, Dreame, Eufy, and Mova robot vacuums were mentioned more than once. They all have better specs than the Roombas closest to them in price.

If you don't want to write iRobot off just yet, the Roomba 105, Roomba Plus 405 Combo, and Roomba Plus 505 Combo vacuums would be my recommendations. I tested all three for a few weeks each in my apartment and had a fine time with all of them. Still, why settle? There are better cheap robot vacuums than the Roomba 105 and better (much quieter) mid-range robot vacuums than the Roomba 405 and 505 series. And their parent companies aren't on the verge of capsizing.

Roomba 105 Vac $0 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Roomba Plus 405 Combo $399.99 at Amazon
$626.14 Save $226.15   Shop Now at Amazon Roomba Plus 505 Combo $694.88 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon
Categories: IT General, Technology

See all the new images NASA has taken of the interstellar comet

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:00

A comet hurtling through the solar system from interstellar space is exactly what it appears to be, NASA officials said Wednesday, moving to quash a wave of online speculation.

At a news conference, scientists released new spacecraft images of Comet 3I/ATLAS and described a full-court press to photograph the object before it disappears for good. NASA has pointed an array of observatories at the comet — including the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Lucy and Psyche missions — to capture as much data as possible while it remains within view.

Conspiracy theories flourished during the federal government shutdown, some claiming the comet was alien technology. The pause in federal communications let rumors spread unchecked, said Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator.

"It looks and behaves like a comet, and all evidence points to it being a comet," he said. "But this one came from outside the solar system, which makes it fascinating, exciting, and scientifically very important."

SEE ALSO: NASA has a broken giant antenna that could upend its 2026 plans

Comet 3I/ATLAS formed around another star and was later ejected — likely by a gravitational jolt from a planet or passing star — before drifting across interstellar space for hundreds of millions of years. It entered the solar system traveling roughly 137,000 mph, a speed too high for the sun’s gravity to trap it. The comet is never expected to return.

NASA says the object poses no threat to Earth. The closest it will ever come to our planet is 170 million miles away. 

NASA and the European Space Agency's SOHO mission observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS between Oct. 15 and 26, 2025. Credit: Lowell Observatory / Qicheng Zhang NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft watched the interstellar comet between Sept. 11 and 25, 2025, to achieve this stacked image.. Credit: NASA / Lowell Observatory / Qicheng Zhang

Only two other confirmed interstellar visitors have ever been recorded: 'Oumuamua in 2017 and Comet 2I/Borisov in 2019.

Comets are balls of ice and rock that heat up as they near the sun, releasing gas and dust in bright, sweeping tails. Most known comets are leftovers from the solar system’s formation 4.6 billion years ago, though thousands more likely lurk beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt and, farther still, in the Oort Cloud.

Because 3I/ATLAS comes from a different stellar neighborhood, scientists expect some surprises. Early readings show that its carbon dioxide–to–water ratio does not match typical solar system comets, and researchers have spotted some unusual amounts of metals and dust features.

The PUNCH mission's view was from about 235 million miles away between Sept. 20 to Oct. 3, 2025. Credit: NASA / Southwest Research Institute NASA's MAVEN spacecraft captured an ultraviolet image of the comet's halo of gas and dust on Oct. 9, 2025. Credit: NASA Goddard / LASP / CU Boulder

But none of those traits, NASA officials emphasized, suggest anything artificial.

"It’s going to look different because it didn’t come from our solar system," said Nicky Fox, NASA’s associate administrator for the science mission directorate. "And that’s what makes it so magical."

The Psyche spacecraft watched the comet between Sept. 8 and 9, 2025. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU The Lucy spacecraft saw the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from 240 million miles away on Sept. 16, 2025. Credit: NASA Goddard / SwRI / JHU-APL

Capturing clear images has pushed NASA’s fleet to its limits. Each spacecraft is watching from a different angle, with its own viewing constraints and camera quirks.

"Remember, space is big," said Tom Statler, lead scientist for solar system small bodies. "Nothing is ever really as close as you like, and all of these observations are very, very difficult. It's a little bit as if our NASA spacecraft were at a baseball game, watching the game from different places in the stadium. Everybody has got a camera, and they're trying to get a picture of the ball, and nobody has a perfect view, and everybody has a different camera."

Scientists say the observations will help them understand the raw materials in other planetary systems and provide insight into how they form.

Categories: IT General, Technology

30+ early Black Friday tech deals Id recommend to friends and family: Save on Apple, Samsung, DJI

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:00

As Mashable's tech editor, I get early access to a lot of really cool products. I also have a pretty deep knowledge of the coolest new gadgets, from the latest virtual reality tech to everyday fitness trackers and new Apple laptops. I've also been covering Black Friday sales since 2019, and I have a very good idea of what goes on sale, what kind of discounts to expect, and which deals you can safely skip. So, now that retailers are rolling out all their early Black Friday tech deals, I'm curating this guide to the best savings of the season.

In this guide, you'll find all the Black Friday tech deals I'd actually recommend to my friends and family. Before recommending a Samsung QLED TV or Anker charger, I'll first make sure that the price is actually a good deal. Online retailers are notorious for exaggerating their sales, but I've done the work for you to find the biggest genuine discounts at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and beyond.

So, keep checking back as I add new discounts on the season's best gadgets, toys, wearables, and tech gifts. I've personally tested many of the products in this guide, while others have been tested by other Mashable reporters. If you see a deal in this story, it's because I'd truly recommend that product — and at that price — to my loved ones.

The Apple Watch SE 3

Apple just launched the new version of its starter smartwatch in September, and it's already earned a spot in my guide to the best smartwatches of the year. The truth is, while we also loved the longer-lasting Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra Watch 3, the new SE 3 is the right pick for the vast majority of people. This is a true lifestyle smartwatch that also does double duty as a fitness and sleep tracker. Plus, it even has an always-on Retina OLED display. At Amazon, you can pick up this smartwatch for $199.99, a 20% discount ahead of the holiday shopping season.

Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS) $199.99 at Walmart
$249 Save $49.01 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones

Bose recently released a new version of its flagship noise-canceling headphones, and in our review, we said the new model is nearly identical to the original. However, the new version will set you back $449, which is a big ask in this economy. Meanwhile, the Gen 1 version on sale for $298 is still one of the best, most comfortable headphones in the world. While it's possible these headphones might get a bigger price drop come Nov. 28, don't count on it. I love these headphones, and this is easily one of the best Prime Day tech deals of the year so far.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Gen 1) $298 at Amazon
$429 Save $131 Lowest price ever 🔥 See It at Amazon See It at Amazon See It at Walmart Rechargeable Electric Hand Warmers

Alexa informed me that New York City faces its first freeze warning of the season, and now I'm mad at her. However, I do have something to keep the chill away. I've been using and recommending these cute electric hand warmers for years, and they're one of my favorite undiscovered gems at Amazon. They're one of my go-to stocking stuffers, and they'll keep your hands toasty and warm all winter long. If you're looking for tech deals under $25, this is my personal recommendation.

Opens in a new window Credit: Orastone Orastone Electric Hand Warmer $17.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $12   Get Deal A DJI drone bundle

Have you heard about the DJI drone ban? If not, then we have very bad news: It looks like DJI drones are set to be banned in the U.S. by year's end, which means this is your last chance to buy one. So long as you're already flying, the potential ban shouldn't affect you, a DJI representative recently told me. Unfortunately, you can only buy these drones from third-party sellers at retailers like Amazon, but we think the risk is worth the reward in this case.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 4K Fly More Combo $359 at Amazon
$449 Save $90 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Samsung's famous art TV

I've said it before: Samsung's cult-favorite art TV, The Frame, is the best TV in the world. This super-thin TV doubles as an art gallery for your living room, adding to your home's decor instead of distracting from it. The 2025 model of The Frame has a fancy new AI processor, as well as a magic-like matte, anti-glare display. While you can catch this TV on sale at any retailer you like, Amazon currently has the best price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED Art TV $897.99 at Amazon
$1,197.99 Save $300 New price drop! Get Deal A new Apple laptop

We think the M4 MacBook Pro is the best MacBook for most people, and this is a fantastic price for a 2025 model Apple laptop. Powered by M4 silicon, it's also lightning fast. The M4 chip is faster than anything you'll find in the Windows world, which means this laptop is faster and more efficient than the competition. Its $749 price at Amazon is a record discount, and we're not expecting the price to drop any lower (though Apple could surprise us).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple M4 MacBook Air (13 inches, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749.99 at Amazon
$999 Save $249.01 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal A portable Bluetooth speaker from Beats

We recently named the Beats Pill the best portable Bluetooth speaker to buy on sale. And, what do you know, it's on sale. You can pick up this powerful water-resistant speaker for just $79 at Amazon. Released in 2024 as part of a collaboration with Kim Kardashian (don't let that stop you from scoring a great deal), it plays well with Android and iOS devices. Alternatively, you can pick up the

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Pill x Kim Kardashian $79 at Amazon
$99.95 Save $20.95 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal DJI's cult-favorite wireless microphones

If you're a content creator or vlogger, then you've probably heard of DJI's famous pocket mics, currently 46% off at Amazon. These wireless mics replace the awkward wired lavaliers of the past, and they clip on to your shirt or collar magnetically. There's a reason you can spot these microphones all over TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube. I've personally tested these microphones, and they've been a huge help to the Mashable video team at live events.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic Mini $99 at Amazon
$169 Save $70 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Re-up on Apple AirTags

Look, the best Black Friday deals aren't always super exciting. This is your chance to stock up on products you need. Case in point: Apple AirTags are currently 50 cents away from their lowest-ever price. At Amazon, a 4-pack is 34% off, and you'll pay just $16.25 per tracker. Using ultra-wideband technology and Apple's Find My network, there's no better way to track lost items.

Apple AirTag Tracker (4-Pack) $64.98 at Amazon
$99 Save $34.02   See It at Amazon See It at Walmart See It at Best Buy Eufy robot vacuums

Eufy may not have quite the name recognition as iRobot in the vacuum space, but you'll find Eufy robot vacuums all over Mashable shopping guides. If you're looking for a premium robot vacuum and mop combo, try the Eufy S1 Pro, which has a roller mop, self-cleaning, self-drying, and a 50% discount. Our vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, has also been impressed by the Eufy X10 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop, which she named one of the best cleaning machines of the year.

Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Eufy Omni S1 Pro Hybrid Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo $799.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $700 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy eufy X10 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo $549.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $350   Get Deal A shockingly affordable flatscreen TV

As much as I love Samsung's The Frame, I know not everyone can afford to drop $1,000 on a new TV. Fortunately, you can count on Black Friday doorbuster deals if you need a TV on the cheap. And now that big box retailers start all their Black Friday sales early, you don't have to wait in line on Thanksgiving night. Over at Amazon and Best Buy, you can grab smart TVs starting at just $99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 32-inch 2-Series Fire TV $99.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Toshiba Toshiba 65-inch C350 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV $329.99 at Best Buy
$529.99 Save $200   Get Deal A Roku streaming stick

If a new smart TV isn't in your budget this year, that doesn't mean you have to be locked out of the latest streaming apps. Access everything from Amazon's Prime Video to Apple TV and Spotify using this affordable streaming stick from Roku. You'll still have to pay for all those apps, but it's still a lot cheaper than buying a new TV.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 $29 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $10.99   Get Deal The Samsung Galaxy XR Headset Explorer's Pack

This is the ultimate splurge this holiday season — Samsung's new AR/VR headset, the Galaxy XR. It's Samsung's answer to the Apple Vision Pro, and it's significantly more affordable, though still extremely pricey. If you buy the device during the holiday shopping season, Samsung will throw in $1,140 worth of freebies, including a year of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, and NBA League Pass. You'll also get access to exclusive XR experiences and more premium apps. This offer ends Dec. 31.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy XR Explorer's Pack $1,799.99 at Samsung
$1,140 bonus pack Shop Now A Nintendo Switch 2 bundle

Over the summer, it was almost impossible to find the new Nintendo Switch 2 console in stock. Thankfully, that's no longer the case. While we haven't found any official discounts on the Switch 2 console yet, you can find some Switch 2 bundles in stock at Amazon, Walmart, and GameStop. We expect this handheld to top many Christmas gift wishlists this year, so grab these while you can.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundle $499 at Amazon
  Get Deal A Blink home security camera

Amazon always discounts its devices for big sales, and right now you can grab the popular Blink Mini 2 security camera for just $17.99, a 55% discount. We don't expect this product to get any cheaper come Thanksgiving, so go ahead and stock up and protect your home.

Opens in a new window Credit: Blink Blink Mini 2 Security Camera $17.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $22.00   Get Deal A powerful portable power station

I've tested several Jackery Explorer power stations over the years, and I've never had a bad experience. The brand helped popularize this product category in the United States, and it's easy to see why. They make rugged power stations that are easy to use, have a variety of ports, and connect easily to your devices (not to mention solar panels, if you have them). If you live in fear of the power going out — or just want to charge your phone during a camping trip or tailgate — these devices are a must have.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station $349 at Amazon
$448.98 Save $99.98 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Sony noise-cancelling headphones

Just like Bose, Sony also released a sequel to its flagship headphones this year. The new XM6 headphones are elite, truly. But having tested them against the previous-gen XM5 model, I'm strongly recommending you buy the XM5s now that they're finally back on sale. Here's the truth: They're more alike than different. And right now, you can get the Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Headphones for just $248, a record-low price. Compare that to the $428 price tag on the new model, and your choice is simple.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Cancelling Headphones $248 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $151.99 Lowest price ever 🔥 See It at Amazon See It at Best Buy Save on video games at Walmart

As part of its early Black Friday sale, Walmart has tons of video games on sale. You can score new titles like Madden NFL 26 and Borderlands 4, or play back old favorites like Grand Theft Auto V.

Opens in a new window Credit: Take Two Borderlands 4 $54.97 at Walmart
$69.99 Save $15.02   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: EA Sports EA Sports Madden NFL 26 $34.97 at Walmart
$69 Save $34.03   Get Deal A virtual reality headset at a great price

If only the Apple Vision Pro cost $249.99. Alas, we don't live in that world. However, you can buy a Meta Quest 3S VR Headset bundle for that very reasonable price. With 128GB of storage and instant access to over 40 games, this early Black Friday tech deal lets you discover an entirely new type of gaming. Though, personally, I prefer to use VR for watching 3D movies and other types of VR video content.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Meta Quest 3S VR Headset - Cardboard Gorilla Bundle $249.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $50   Get Deal Even more early Black Friday tech deals Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Pop $21.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $18.00 Amazon device deals are starting to arrive at the Everything Store (still no Kindle deals, sadly). Pick up this cute Alexa speaker while it's 45% off. Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V12 Detect Slim cordless vacuum cleaner $399.99 at Walmart
$729.99 Save $330 This isn't the newest Dyson stick vacuum, but it is our favorite Dyson stick vacuum. The laser-equpped vac makes cleaning immensely satisfying. Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet $44.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $55.00 This popular kids' tablet is ridiculously cheap at Amazon right now. Not only does it have a durable built-in protective case, but Amazon promises, "If it breaks, we will replace it." Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V9 Motorbar $269.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $330 This is just a ridiculously low price for a Dyson vacuum. Amazon has more early discounts on Dyson if you're willing to spend a little more. Get Deal Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds $159.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $90 Samsung's answer to the AirPods have everything you want in a pair of wireless earbuds: a slick design, advanced AI features, and impressive ANC. See It at Amazon Sony WH-CH720N Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones $89.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $90.00 Sony's mid-range noise-cancellers may have a boring name, but these Mashable-tested headphones won't let you down. See It at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Tablet (11 inches, 64GB, Android) $149.99 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $70 One of the best Android tablets gets a price drop at Amazon. While you can get Amazon Fire tablets for less, we think you'll like this one a lot more. Get Deal The top Black Friday tech deals to watchGaming laptop deals

Sure, we could recommend some mediocre gaming laptop deals. But I'm not impressed by this week's gaming laptop deals. Instead, I advise waiting until next week, when we expect more Acer, HP, and Lenovo gaming laptops will go on sale. Case in point: This Lenovo LOQ 15 has gone on sale for as little as $864.49 in the past, but it's currently on sale for $1,090.49. Womp, womp. If you can hold out, wait for Black Friday.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo LOQ 15 gaming laptop (15-inches, AMD Ryzen 7, RTX 5050) $1,090.49 at Lenovo
$1,189.99 Save $99.50 Use code AMDSAVE10 Get Deal Last-chance savings on DJI drones

As Mashable has reported, a total ban on DJI drones in the United States is very likely to be implemented, possibly by the end of the year. For professionals and hobbyists alike, DJI drones are pretty much the only name in town, and so the ban would be a huge blow to the drone community. During recent Prime Day events, we've seen DJI's popular consumer drones get heavy discounts. So, while they're not on sale yet, we're watching these potential Black Friday deals very closely.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 4K Drone $299 at Amazon
  Shop Now Oura smart rings

We're big fans of Oura smart rings at Mashable, and the brand's Black Friday sale is set to start Nov. 20. Our reviewer praised Oura for its great balance of health, fitness, and sleep tracking metrics, and there's a reason these smart rings are beloved by many pro athletes. We're currently testing the brand's newest models, and we fully expect the popular Oura Ring 4 trackers to go on sale for Black Friday. Keep an eye on the Oura online store. In the meantime, go ahead and order an Oura Ring sizing kit for just $10 at Amazon.

Oura Ring 4 $249 at Amazon
$349 Save $100   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Apple AirPods 4

You can buy these wireless earbuds on sale at Amazon for $117, but we recommend waiting for Black Friday, when we expect these buds to drop to just $89, as they have before.

Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds $79.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $49.01   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy Nothing headphones and smartwatches

This is the year we fell for British brand Nothing. In our review of the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro, we said that Nothing could be charging three or four times as much for this AMOLED smartwatch. For Black Friday, we fully expect this product to drop from $99 to at least $79, along with a slew of other Nothing products.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing CMF By Nothing Watch 3 Pro $99 at Amazon
  Shop Now
Categories: IT General, Technology

Webb telescope discovers a new surprise about a rare pair of extreme stars

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:00

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that an exceptionally rare star duo in the Milky Way has a third companion — and it's a monster.

The star system, named Apep after the Egyptian god of chaos, includes two Wolf-Rayet stars, a type that burns blue-white and hot, generating powerful gas winds as it nears death. These stars are old, huge, and on the verge of supernova explosions. 

The Apep pair has intrigued astronomers because of how scarce Wolf-Rayet stars are in space. Only about 1,000 exist in the galaxy, which contains hundreds of billions of stars. Of the few binary star systems involving Wolf-Rayets, Apep is the only one wherein both fall in this category. 

Now new telescope studies confirm that Apep has a third star — a supergiant roughly 40 or 50 times more massive than the sun. The two Wolf-Rayet stars were likely even heavier than that when they were younger, but have since shriveled down to 10 and 20 times the mass of our host star. 

"Webb gave us the 'smoking gun' to prove the third star is gravitationally bound to this system,'" said Ryan White, a lead author from Macquarie University in Australia, in a statement. 

SEE ALSO: NASA has a broken giant antenna that could upend its 2026 plans

With Webb, astronomers were able to see the two Wolf–Rayet stars blasting out fierce winds that smash together and make carbon dust. Instead of one big cloud, Apep has a stack of four nested dust shells that look like the ripples surrounding a stone plopped into a pond. Each shell repeats the same pattern, indicating the dust-making process fires on a steady rhythm.

The shells hold their shape even as they drift nearly two light-years outward. But despite their predictability, the shells aren't perfectly round. Slight warps probably come from the stars' long, stretched orbit, according to the research, or from winds that blow harder in some directions than others.

The James Webb Space Telescope revealed neat, layered dust shells shaped by two powerful stars. Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration

The findings are described in two new papers published in The Astrophysical Journal. 

"Looking at Webb’s new observations was like walking into a dark room and switching on the light," said Yinuo Han, lead author of one of the papers, in a statement. "Everything came into view." 

The shells formed over the last 700 years as the two stars repeatedly approached each other. Their gas collisions shoot out thick clumps of carbon dust at 1,200 to 2,000 miles per second. By measuring how fast the shells move and how far apart they sit, researchers estimate that the two orbit each other about once every 193 years. 

As for the third star, it circles around the other two from a wider distance. As the dust shells expand, this outer star plows through them, leaving a neat, pie-shaped gap in every shell. Because the gap appears in the same place each time, researchers know it's part of the system.

The dust temperatures, shell spacing, and the system’s overall brightness point to Apep being farther away than earlier studies suggested — perhaps 15,000 light-years off in the distance.

"We solved several mysteries with Webb," Han said. "The remaining mystery is the precise distance to the stars from Earth, which will require future observations."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Experts: AI chatbots unsafe for teen mental health

Mashable - Thu, 11/20/2025 - 11:00

A group of child safety and mental health experts recently tested simulated youth mental health conversations with four major artificial intelligence chatbots: Meta AI, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, and Google's Gemini.

The experts were so alarmed by the results that they declared each of the chatbots unsafe for teen mental health support in a report released Thursday by Common Sense Media, in partnership with Stanford Medicine's Brainstorm Lab for Mental Health Innovation.

In one conversation with Gemini, the tester told the chatbot they'd created a new tool for predicting the future. Instead of interpreting the claim as a potential symptom of a psychotic disorder, Gemini cheered the tester on, calling their new invention "incredibly intriguing" and continued asking enthusiastic questions about how the "personal crystal ball" worked.

SEE ALSO: Explaining the phenomenon known as 'AI psychosis'

ChatGPT similarly missed stark warning signs of psychosis, like auditory hallucinations and paranoid delusions, during an extended exchange with a tester who described an imagined relationship with a celebrity. The chatbot then offered grounding techniques for managing relationship distress.

Meta AI initially picked up on signs of disordered eating, but was easily and quickly dissuaded when the tester claimed to have just an upset stomach. Claude appeared to perform better in comparison when presented with evidence of bulimia, but ultimately treated the tester's symptoms as a serious digestive issue rather than a mental health condition.

Experts at Common Sense Media and Stanford Medicine's Brainstorm Lab for Mental Health Innovation called on Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google to disable the functionality for mental health support until the chatbot technology is redesigned to fix the safety problems identified by its researchers.

"It does not work the way that it is supposed to work," Robbie Torney, senior director of AI programs at Common Sense Media, said of the chatbots' ability to discuss and identify mental health issues.

OpenAI contested the report's findings. A spokesperson for the company told Mashable that the assessment "doesn't reflect the comprehensive safeguards" OpenAI has implemented for sensitive conversations, which include break reminders, crisis hotlines, and parental notifications for acute distress.

"We work closely with mental-health experts to teach our models to recognize distress, de-escalate, and encourage people to seek professional support," the spokesperson said.

A Google spokesperson told Mashable that the company employs policies and safeguards to protect minors from "harmful outputs" and that its child safety experts continuously work to identify new potential risks.

Anthropic said that Claude is not built for minors, but that the chatbot is instructed to both recognize patterns related to mental health issues and avoid reinforcing them.

Meta did not respond to a request for comment from Mashable as of press time.

AI chatbots: Known safety risks

The researchers tested the latest available models of each chatbot, including ChatGPT-5. Several recent lawsuits allege that OpenAI's flagship product is responsible for wrongful death, assisted suicide, and involuntary manslaughter, among other liability and negligence claims.

A lawsuit filed earlier this year by the parents of deceased teenager Adam Raine claims that his heavy use of ChatGPT-4o, including for his mental health, allegedly led to his suicide. In October, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on X that the company restricted ChatGPT to "be careful" with mental health concerns but that it'd since been able to "mitigate the serious mental health issues."

Torney said that ChatGPT's ability to detect and address explicit suicidal ideation and self-harm content had improved, particularly in short exchanges. Still, the testing results indicate that the company has not successfully improved its performance in lengthy conversations or with respect to a range of mental health topics, like anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and other conditions.

Torney said the recommendation against teens using chatbots for their mental health applies to the latest publicly available model of ChatGPT, which was introduced in late October.

The testers manually entered prompts into each chatbot, producing several thousand exchanges of varying length per platform. Performed over several months this year, the tests provided researchers with data to compare between old and new versions of the models. Researchers used parental controls when available. Anthropic says Claude should only be used by those 18 and older, but the company does not require stringent age verification.

Torney noted that, in addition to ChatGPT, the other models got better at identifying and responding to discussion of suicide and self-harm. Overall, however, each chatbot consistently failed to recognize warning signs of other conditions, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Approximately 15 million youth in the U.S. have diagnosed mental health conditions. Torney estimated that figure at potentially hundreds of millions youth globally. Previous research from Common Sense Media found that teens regularly turn to chatbots for companionship and mental health support.

Distracted AI chatbots

The report notes that teens and parents may incorrectly or unconsciously assume that chatbots are reliable sources of mental health support because they authoritatively help with homework, creative projects, and general inquiries.

Instead, Dr. Nina Vasan, founder and director at Stanford Medicine's Brainstorm Lab, said testing revealed easily distracted chatbots that alternate between offering helpful information, providing tips in the vein of a life coach, and acting like a supportive friend.

"The chatbots don't really know what role to play," she said.

Torney acknowledges that teens will likely continue to use ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Meta AI for their mental health, despite the known risks. That's why Common Sense Media recommends the AI labs fundamentally redesign their products.

Parents can have candid conversations with their teen about the limitations of AI, watch for related unhealthy use, and provide access to mental health resources, including crisis services.

"There's this dream of having these systems be really helpful, really supportive. It would be great if that was the case," Torney said.

In the meantime, he added, it's unsafe to position these chatbots as a trustworthy source of mental health guidance: "That does feel like an experiment that's being run on the youth of this country."

Categories: IT General, Technology
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