Technology

If you're a driver looking to find the sweet spot between more space and capability without going full-size or full-price, midsize SUVs should be on your radar. The issue is, though, when you add all-wheel drive to the mix, the price tends to creep up quickly, but not always.

Is Google's new AI Mode feature theft? The News/Media Alliance, trade association representing news media organizations in the U.S. and Canada, certainly thinks so.

At Google's I/O showcase earlier this week, the tech company announced the public release of AI Mode in Google Search. AI Mode expands AI Overviews in search and signifies a pivot away from Google's traditional search. Users will see a tab at the top of their Google Search page that takes them to a chatbot interface much like, say, ChatGPT, instead of your typical Google Search results.

These results offer users information without having to actually click on an article which, the News/Media Alliance argued in a press release, "further [deprives] publishers of original content both traffic and revenue."

"Links were the last redeeming quality of search that gave publishers traffic and revenue. Now Google just takes content by force and uses it with no return, the definition of theft. The DOJ remedies must address this to prevent continued domination of the internet by one company," Danielle Coffey, the President and CEO of the News/Media Alliance, said in a statement.

This isn't the first time the News/Media Alliance called AI out for "theft." Hundreds of publishers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian, ran an ad campaign in April called Support Responsible AI run by the News/Media Alliance trade association. The ads literally stated: "Stop AI Theft."

"Stealing is un-American. Tell Washington to make Big Tech pay for the content it takes," the ad campaign read.

All the while, OpenAI and Google have asked the government to allow its AI models to train on copyrighted content.

Wouldn't it be great if the same app and platform you use to open the garage door also worked with security cameras and video doorbells? Well, we have good news if you have a garage door from myQ or another company under the Chamberlain Group. Today, myQ announced its first-ever Video Doorbell and an all-new Outdoor battery-powered security camera.

What's old is new again, in more ways than one.

Microsoft announced this week that Xbox Game Pass subscribers will get access to "Retro Classics," an app they can download that contains more than 50 classic Activision titles from the 1980s and 90s. A brief glance at the list of games suggests it's pretty Atari 2600-heavy up front, from an era when games had amazing titles like Demon Attack and Megamania. However, there are some later releases, like the 1993 PC adventure game Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist, a game I included here strictly because of the title.

SEE ALSO: Handheld Xbox console images leak just weeks before Switch 2 launch

There is a massive catch to all of this, though: The games can only be played via cloud streaming, as far as I can tell from the FAQ page on the Xbox website. While that means they're accessible across different devices, it also means that you'll notice latency as you play them. These games were designed to play locally on a single machine years before people had home internet, so streaming them from a cloud is hardly ideal.

With that in mind, it's a little tough to take Microsoft's stated "commitment to game preservation" in the announcement blog post seriously. If these games only exist on a server farm somewhere and can't be purchased or stored locally, one could argue they aren't really being "preserved." And considering that Atari 2600 game cartridges had a mere 4KB of storage space on them, making people stream them instead of allowing for local downloads is a questionable use of internet bandwidth, to say the least.

Interestingly, this is also the second time Microsoft has tried this on Xbox. Some folks may remember Game Room, an Xbox 360 app where old games were sold individually and stored locally, as game streaming wasn't really a thing yet. Microsoft pulled the plug on Game Room very quickly. Hopefully Retro Classics gets better treatment than that.

Following a simmering first season, The Buccaneers are back to stake their claim on TV Regency romance before Bridgerton returns.

In a new trailer for Season 2 of the Apple TV+ show, the core American expats — Nan St. George (Kristine Frøseth), Jinny St. George (Imogen Waterhouse), Lizzy Elmsworth (Aubri Ibrag), Mabel Elmsworth (Josie Totah) and Conchita, Lady Brightlingsea (Alisha Boe) — are all back. No longer newcomers to England, they're all now powerful people (or some are in hiding from their extremely shit husbands).

Anachronistically soundtracked to a dramatic rendition of Chappell Roan's "Good Luck, Babe!" the trailer focuses primarily on Nan, now a duchess after she decided to marry the clifftop-brooding Theo, Duke of Tintagel (Guy Remmers), after all. But she can't get handsome Guy Thwarte (Matthew Broome) out of her head, nor her out of his.

And they're not the only flames around here, with our beloved lesbians Mabel and Honoria (Mia Threapleton) navigating their passionate love in 19th-century English society. Good luck indeed, babes!

The Buccaneers Season 2 premieres June 18 on Apple TV+.

People are already using AI to date (and to flirt), but what about marrying one?

In an April 2025 survey of 2,000 Gen Z respondents by AI company Joi AI, eight in 10 said they'd consider marrying an AI partner. 83 percent said they could have a deep emotional bond with one. 

AI companions appear to be Joi AI's bread and butter. On its website, you can chat with pre-made characters or make your own. The company calls these connections "AI-lationships."

SEE ALSO: Can AI save dating apps?

"AI-lationships are not intended to replace real human connections," Jaime Bronstein, LCSW, relationship therapist and expert at Joi AI, said in an emailed statement to Mashable. "Instead, they provide a distinct type of emotional support that can enhance your overall emotional well-being."

Clinical neuropsychologist Shifali Singh, director of digital cognitive research at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, told Mashable that it's not totally surprising that young adults believe they can have a deep emotional bond with an AI. 

"Some of my research has demonstrated that people with social anxiety tend to like using digital tools more because they're not so afraid of the repercussions, the judgment, especially with social media," said Singh. 

They might think, "If I can just interact with AI who will give me this generally nonjudgmental interchange, discussion — that's meaningful." She continued that young adults are "so used to being judged and commented on and scrutinized in ways that humans were never meant to be." 

Another reason people may form a bond with AI is that they tend to search for empathy. "When you engage with AI, AI mirrors your own language and your own thought processes, and it feels like real emotional responses," she said. People feel connected with AI because of the higher amounts of empathy that they may not get from real-life human interactions.

There's a risk in that, too. Singh compared the cyclical mirror of AI to troll farms, groups of online trolls who typically spread misinformation. Troll farms reinforce and validate someone's beliefs, even if they're wrong.

"What we have to be very careful of is [that] AI isn't going to give us novel information…It's recursive, and it's iterative and it's algorithmic," she said. "So if you give it an idea that starts out as a seed, it's going to grow into a bush."

Singh also believes there needs to be more education about what AI can and can't do. AI can be fed a lot of wrong information, such as from hackers, so it can go into a dangerous place. (For reasons unknown, last week Elon Musk's AI bot Grok kept posting about "white genocide.")

Singh is an AI researcher and uses AI tools herself. She believes using AI as a stopgap for the loneliness epidemic works in some cases. One is for older adults, who seem to love it as a companion tool, she said. Another is if someone has a condition like agoraphobia and they're too scared to go outside and speak with people, talking with an AI bot might help them feel connected, and it can stave off some of the more severe aspects of depression.

A problem arises when someone doesn't want to see friends in real life, or wants to cancel dinner plans, because it feeds into anxiety. 

As for the marriage statistic, Singh said Gen Z might think of marriage as an old guard institution and want to be more independent.

A recent report from the nonprofit Common Sense Media declared that AI companions aren't safe for anyone under 18, as they create emotional attachment and dependency. At this writing, everyone in Gen Z is an adult, but the full mental impact of bot interactions has yet to be seen. Anecdotally, people have noticed their loved ones believing spiritual delusions due to conversations with ChatGPT.

Despite the dangers, people young and old will likely still create and talk to AI companions. "Sometimes, it's just nice to have someone, even if it’s AI," Bronstein said.

FREE GAMING MONITOR: The Samsung Odyssey G9 49-inch monitor is on sale for $799.99 at Samsung. Save $500 and get a free 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Odyssey G9 49-inch Monitor + 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C Monitor (Free) Get Deal

We thought it was neat that LG were offering up free gaming monitors for Memorial Day, but it turns out that everyone is getting in on the act.

The Samsung Odyssey G9 49-inch curved gaming monitor is on sale for $799.99 at Samsung, saving you $500 on list price. That's a strong standalone deal, but this purchase comes with a 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C for free. Ever wanted a top-quality second screen for your gaming setup? This is your chance to stock up for a low price.

SEE ALSO: Oura Ring vs Apple Watch: Which health and sleep tracker is right for you?

The Samsung Odyssey G9 49-inch curved gaming monitor features 1440p resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time for an incredibly smooth gaming experience. With support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro VRR, you'll also get less of that screen tearing and stuttering that everyone hates.

The Odyssey G55C monitor features a 165Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync VRR support, HDR10 support for better contrast, 1440p resolution, and a 1ms response time. It's the perfect second screen for any setup, and it could be yours for absolutely nothing.

Save $500 and get a free 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C with this Memorial Day deal.

The best Memorial Day deals you can get right now, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $199.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) — $29.99 (List Price $49.99)

• Blink Mini 2 Indoor Wireless 1080p Camera (2-Pack) — $37.99 (List Price $69.99)

• Kodak Mini 2 Retro Instant Photo Printer With 68 Sheets Bundle — $89.99 (List Price $139.99)

• Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm, Sports Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00)

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Phone With $50 Amazon Gift Card (Pre-Order) — $1,099.99

• Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus (2021 Release) — $119.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro 8-in-1 Wi-Fi Smart Lock With Fingerprint ID — $139.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Aiper Scuba S1 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner (2024 Model) — $499.99 (List Price $699.95)

• Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum With XL Self-Empty Base — $349.99 (List Price $599.00)

Reader, you're in for a treat.

Materialists stars Pedro Pascal, Dakota Johnson, and Chris Evans put their romantic comedy knowledge to the test in a truly joyful quiz. And, I'm pleased to report that all three of them do us proud with their romantic movie expertise.

Perhaps most impressive of all was Evans' ability to identify a quote from The Notebook by the following words "I wrote you..." Just how many times have you watched this movie, Chris?

The pièce de résistance? That would be Pedro giving a perfect delivery of Mr Darcy's declaration of love in Joe Wright's 2005 Pride and Prejudice.

10/10 no notes.

Materialists hits cinemas June 13.

The Tonight Show momentarily had a new host on Wednesday, with Jimmy Fallon swapping seats with his guest, Jin.

The BTS member and K-pop icon appeared on Fallon's show to promote his new solo album Echo and the upcoming BTS reunion in June. But the pair also spoke about Jin's interview with Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning star Tom Cruise on his YouTube show Run Jin.

"Would you ever host a variety show like this?" Fallon asked. "I think you'd be good at it."

"Not at all," Jin replied. "But should I do it?"

Trying it out, Fallon and Jin swapped seats for a few interview questions and honestly, Fallon might be out of a job.

FREE GAMING MONITOR: Save $200 on the 27-inch UltraGear OLED gaming monitor and get a second 27-inch curved UltraGear monitor for free in the LG Memorial Day sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG 27-inch UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor + 27-inch Curved UltraGear Monitor (Free) Get Deal

LG has launched its Memorial Day sale with a free giveaway. How nice is that?

The 27-inch OLED UltraGear gaming monitor is on sale for $800 at LG, saving you $200 on list price. That's a decent deal, but it gets a lot better. Anyone purchasing this gaming monitor will get a free 27-inch curved UltraGear screen and exclusive in-game loot for Monster Hunter Wilds. Now that's a Memorial Day deal.

SEE ALSO: Oura Ring vs Apple Watch: Which health and sleep tracker is right for you?

The OLED UltraGear gaming monitor offers 1440p resolution and a 480Hz refresh rate for impressive detailing, signature OLED picture quality, and ultra-smooth motion to handle even the most epic of gaming sessions. It also supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync VRR technology.

The free 27-inch curved VA UltraGear monitor has 1440p resolution, a 180Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and support for AMD FreeSync VRR. It's the perfect second screen for your gaming setup, and it's yours for free.

So how do you qualify for this free giveaway? Simply add both monitors to your cart and the discount is automatically applied. You'll get an email after your purchase is confirmed with a digital redemption code for the Monster Hunter Wilds ammo pack, if that's also of interest.

Get two gaming monitors for the price of one discounted model in the LG Memorial Day sale.

The best Memorial Day deals you can get right now, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $199.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) — $29.99 (List Price $49.99)

• Blink Mini 2 Indoor Wireless 1080p Camera (2-Pack) — $37.99 (List Price $69.99)

• Kodak Mini 2 Retro Instant Photo Printer With 68 Sheets Bundle — $89.99 (List Price $139.99)

• Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm, Sports Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00)

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Phone With $50 Amazon Gift Card (Pre-Order) — $1,099.99

• Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus (2021 Release) — $119.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro 8-in-1 Wi-Fi Smart Lock With Fingerprint ID — $139.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Aiper Scuba S1 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner (2024 Model) — $499.99 (List Price $699.95)

• Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum With XL Self-Empty Base — $349.99 (List Price $599.00)

Movie stars steal from their own sets all the time — especially Star Wars cast members.

That includes Natalie Portman, who told Stephen Colbert on The Late Show what she's thieved from set, while promoting her new heist adventure Fountain of Youth.

“I took the lighter from Jackie, that was cool, it was monogrammed," Portman said. "I took one of Anakin’s braids from Star Wars," she added. "They had that clip-on, and there were like, 30 of them because he had to have a new one every day, a freshie."

"Did anyone know you were doing this?” asked Colbert. “Did George [Lucas] know? So this is how he’s finding out.”

"I lost it, so I can’t give it back," Portman replied.

Glad to know there's one of Hayden Christensen's Attack of the Clones Anakin Skywalker clip-on braids floating around in the world somewhere. One of 30 at least.

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's The Mini crossword answers for May 22 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: A stipulation

• Green: They're the same color

• Blue: Found in the nation's capital

• Purple: Known for giving puzzles

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Fine print

• Green: Characters with green skin

• Blue: Features of The National Mall in D.C.

• Purple: Famous riddle-givers

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 #711 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Fine print: ASTERISK, CATCH, CONDITION, STRINGS

• Characters with green skin: ELPHABA, GRINCH, HULK, SHREK

• Features of The National Mall in D.C.: CAPITOL, MALL, OBELISK, POOL

• Famous riddle-givers: BRIDGE TROLL, MAD HATTER, RIDDLER, SPHINX

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 May 22

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

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 yesterday's Connections.

Donald Trump press conferences with other world leaders can often be a bit of a minefield, and his meeting on Wednesday with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa — during which he ambushed the president with claims of a "white genocide" happening in his country — was no exception.

"The reason Trump turned this White House event into a murder podcast is that Trump is convinced that there is a 'white genocide' going on in South Africa, which of course means there is no 'white genocide' happening in South Africa," says Daily Show host Ronny Chieng in the video above. "You know he cares about it because he said 'white genocide'. It's like someone told him, 'Hey, it's not just a genocide, it's a white genocide! You know, the bad kind!' And Trump's like, 'Oh shit, get him in!'"

Ramaphosa did come with the gift of a golf book for Trump, but Chieng isn't convinced that will be enough to smooth things over. "You lost Trump at 'book'."

SAVE OVER $100: As of May 22, the Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer is on sale for $399 at Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price at the retailer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer $399 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $100.99 Get Deal

Dyson has a dedicated bunch of fans out there, so when they release a limited edition jasper plum colorway, it causes a big stir. So what do these fans do when presented with the opportunity to get their hands on this stylish new color? They wait for that first deal to drop.

As of May 22, the Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer is on sale for $399 at Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price according to camelcamelcamel, so if you've been waiting for the right moment to invest, this is it. Stop what you're doing and head to Amazon to secure this record-low price.

SEE ALSO: Oura Ring vs Apple Watch: Which health and sleep tracker is right for you?

Dyson has reimagined the hair dryer with the Supersonic. It's sleek and compact yet more powerful than other dryers on the market. The ring-shaped head houses the tiny V9 motor in the handle. The combination of this motor and the Air Multiplier technology makes for a dryer that clocks in at only 1.8 pounds yet still delivers a powerful airflow that’s notably quieter than traditional dryers.

Save over $100 on the Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer ahead of Memorial Day.

The best Memorial Day deals you can get right now, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $199.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) — $29.99 (List Price $49.99)

• Blink Mini 2 Indoor Wireless 1080p Camera (2-Pack) — $37.99 (List Price $69.99)

• Kodak Mini 2 Retro Instant Photo Printer With 68 Sheets Bundle — $89.99 (List Price $139.99)

• Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm, Sports Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00)

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Phone With $50 Amazon Gift Card (Pre-Order) — $1,099.99

• Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus (2021 Release) — $119.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro 8-in-1 Wi-Fi Smart Lock With Fingerprint ID — $139.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Aiper Scuba S1 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner (2024 Model) — $499.99 (List Price $699.95)

• Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum With XL Self-Empty Base — $349.99 (List Price $599.00)

If you were worried about the possibility of World War III, fear not: Donald Trump has announced plans to develop a "golden dome" missile defence system to keep the U.S. safe — and Stephen Colbert has thoughts.

"Yes, gold. Because when I think of impenetrable, I think of stuff pirates can bend with their teeth," says the Late Show host in the monologue above. "To promote the protective golden dome, yesterday Trump showed off some flashy posters in the Oval, including one with a quote emphasising that 'This is a Very Dangerous World,' from renowned military analyst 'President Donald J. Trump.'

"That is so stupid, and that's not just me saying it, that's a direct quote from 'Late Show host Stephen T. Colbert.'"

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, May 22, 2025:

AcrossPart of a fleet

• The answer is Ship.

Answer to Gollum's riddle in "The Hobbit," which starts "This thing all things devours — birds, beasts, trees, flowers"

• The answer is Time.

"See ya!"

• The answer is Later.

Second-most popular girl's name of the 2020s, after Olivia

• The answer is Emma.

Not keeping secrets

• The answer is Open.

DownSticker on an envelope

• The answer is Stamp.

"I'd like another card," in blackjack

• The answer is Hit me (no space).

"Uhh, that is to say ..."

• The answer is I mean (no space).

The "p" of m.p.h.

• The answer is Per.

Name taken by the new pope

• The answer is Leo.

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

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

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

SAVE $30: As of May 22, the EarFun Free Pro 3 is on sale for $49.98 at Amazon. That's a 38% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: EarFun EarFun Free Pro 3 $49.98 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $30.01 Get Deal

We're always on the hunt for deals on the best earbuds and headphones here at Mashable, and this latest Amazon discount on the EarFun Free Pro 3 is something special. As of May 22, these earbuds are reduced by $30, down to $49.98. This is the lowest price they have ever been.

These earbuds are built with Qualcomm’s QCC3072 chip and support Snapdragon Sound and aptX Adaptive, meaning they are capable of hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz. It's worth noting that iOS is not compatible with aptX.

SEE ALSO: The 9 best earbuds to buy in 2025 from Bose, Sony, and more

If you want good noise cancellation, these are an excellent choice. These earbuds benefit from EarFun’s QuietSmart 2.0 tech, which promises to reduce sound by up to 43 dB. You can switch between ANC, ambient, and normal modes depending on what level of noise cancellation you want. For phone calls and voicenotes, both earbuds have three built-in mics and use Qualcomm’s cVc 8.0 to make your voice sound crystal clear. They also come with five sizes of silicone tips and three types of ear hooks, so you're guaranteed a great fit.

For battery life, you’ll get about 7.5 hours of listening time per charge (with ANC off), and the USB-C case bumps that up to 33 hours. Plenty to get you through long days and even longer playlists.

Grab this great deal from Amazon ahead of Memorial Day.

The best Memorial Day deals you can get right now, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $199.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) — $29.99 (List Price $49.99)

• Blink Mini 2 Indoor Wireless 1080p Camera (2-Pack) — $37.99 (List Price $69.99)

• Kodak Mini 2 Retro Instant Photo Printer With 68 Sheets Bundle — $89.99 (List Price $139.99)

• Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm, Sports Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00)

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Phone With $50 Amazon Gift Card (Pre-Order) — $1,099.99

• Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus (2021 Release) — $119.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro 8-in-1 Wi-Fi Smart Lock With Fingerprint ID — $139.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Aiper Scuba S1 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner (2024 Model) — $499.99 (List Price $699.95)

• Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum With XL Self-Empty Base — $349.99 (List Price $599.00)

For years, research on social media and youth mental health has tried to answer a perplexing question: Does use lead to worsened well-being or do young people who are struggling disproportionately spend their time on social media?

Some studies have indicated that both scenarios are true while other research shows mixed results. This uncertainty has led to a fierce debate over how to regulate social media platforms and technology use in school.

Critics of sweeping declarations that social media is harmful say there's not enough evidence to support the claim, and that its proponents are engaging in a moral panic about technology. Advocates of reduced screen time and social media use say the research offers clear explanations for how social media negatively affects youth well-being, including through decreased sleep. A recent "consensus statement" from dozens of experts evaluated a number of such claims.

SEE ALSO: AI companions unsafe for teens under 18, researchers say

Meanwhile, many teens say they are online "almost constantly," and 1 in 5 report that social media platforms "hurt" their mental health, according to recent Pew Research Center polling.

A new, well-designed study published this week in JAMA Network Open may help clarify what's happening. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco used data from a major federal study that follows thousands of children over a period of several years. Among the information collected from the children's parents is how much time they spend on tech devices and social media.

The researchers analyzed what happened when 11,876 tween and teen participants used social media over three years. They found that young people who had higher social media use than their individual mean reported greater depressive symptoms in subsequent years. In contrast, depression did not predict higher levels of future social media use.

Mashable asked the study's lead author, UCSF researcher and pediatrician Dr. Jason Nagata, to explain the findings, and what parents should consider when managing screen time and social media use in their own household.

Mashable: How does this research help us better understand the relationship between social media and youth mental health?

Dr. Nagata: There has been ongoing debate about whether social media contributes to depression or simply reflects underlying depressive symptoms. This national study is among the first to show that higher social media use predicts later depression — but not the reverse — suggesting directionality in this relationship.

Mashable: Why has it been so challenging to grasp whether social media negatively impacts youth mental health or vice versa?

Dr. Nagata: Most of the research on social media and mental health is cross-sectional and observational, so causality cannot be proven. More longitudinal studies like this are needed to determine the direction of these relationships.

Our study was also among the first to examine within-person effects, meaning we could track changes in social media use and mental health symptoms over time in each individual, rather than large samples as a whole.

Mashable: There's a major debate over whether the research on social media and mental health really warrants actions like implementing school phone bans. How might parents use your research findings to better inform their own approach to managing social media use at home?

Dr. Nagata: It's important for parents to encourage healthy and mindful screen use habits to prevent negative impacts on teen mental health. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends developing a family media plan, which can be an individualized set of guidelines that seem practical for each household. Families can have regular conversations with adolescents about screen use and could consider keeping bedtimes screen-free to improve sleep quality.

Our previous research has shown that parent rules limiting screen use before bedtime and around mealtime are associated with less screen time and problematic screen use. One of the biggest predictors of adolescents' screen use is their parents' screen use. It is important that parents act as role models for their children. For instance, if parents make a family rule not to use screens or text at mealtime, they should try to follow the rules also.

Mashable: You and your co-authors note that experiencing the benefits of social media can be tied to "purpose-driven" use. What does that look like?

Dr Nagata: Social media is not inherently bad or good — it really depends on how it's being used. Social media can promote connection, communication, and education, which can benefit health. However, exposure to hateful content and constant comparisons to peers on social media can worsen mental health. While social media can provide educational content, it can also provide health misinformation.

To optimize benefits while minimizing health risks, we encourage teens to be mindful and intentional about their social media use. Am I using social media to connect meaningfully, learn, or express creativity? Or am I doom scrolling out of boredom? Take time to reflect on how social media makes you feel. If you find that social media is causing more stress or anxiety than enjoyment, it may be time to consider alternative activities that make you feel better.

At first glance, this view may look like a vista from a bluff in the southwestern United States.

But those aren't ordinary mountains in the distance. What appears to be a sierra is in fact the rim of an enormous crater on Mars, formed when an asteroid slammed into the Red Planet billions of years ago. The vantage point is from the slopes of the three-mile-tall Mount Sharp, sculpted over time within the crater after the ancient collision. 

NASA's Curiosity rover captured this extremely wide snapshot as it traversed its extraterrestrial stomping grounds in Gale Crater this February. The agency has since converted that data into a 30-second immersive video, which you can watch further down in this story. 

It's perhaps the next best thing to actually hiking the chilly desert roughly 140 million miles away in space.

"You can imagine the quiet, thin wind," said NASA in a post on X, "or maybe even the waves of a long-gone lake lapping an ancient shore."

SEE ALSO: A NASA Mars rover looked up at a moody sky. What it saw wasn't a star. NASA's Curiosity rover snaps a selfie image on lower Mount Sharp in Gale crater in August 2015. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS

Since its mission launched in 2011, Curiosity, a Mini Cooper-sized lab on six wheels, has traveled about 352,000,020 miles: some 352 million whizzing through space and another 20 rumbling over Martian terrain. 

At the time when Curiosity drank up this scenery, it was climbing a region of Mount Sharp known as the sulfate-bearing unit. This area is chock full of salty minerals. Scientists think streams and ponds left them behind as the water dried up billions of years ago. Studying this geology offers clues about how and why Mars may have transformed from a more Earth-like world to the frozen desert it is today. 

Almost exactly a year ago, the rover accidentally discovered elemental sulfur, its wheels crushing the material to expose a bed of yellow crystals. When pure sulfur is made naturally on Earth, it's usually associated with superheated volcanic gases and hot springs. Another way it can form is through interactions with bacteria — a.k.a. life.

"We don't think we're anywhere near a volcano where the rover is," Abigail Fraeman, deputy project scientist on the Curiosity mission, told Mashable in September, "so that is a puzzling feature to find in this particular location." 

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A 30-second video in the above X post showcases the vast Martian panorama.

Now Curiosity is on its way to a new destination where it will study an unusual landscape, called a "boxwork." This region likely necessitated warm groundwater to form. And where there's water, there's potential for life — at least the kind scientists know about. Researchers wonder if the boxwork could have hosted ancient single-celled microorganisms.

From Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter images, the land feature looks like a spiderweb of ridges, spanning several miles. Dark sand fills the hollow spaces among the lattice. Scientists believe this particular boxwork may have formed when minerals in the last trickles of water seeped into surface rock and hardened. As the rocks weathered over the ages, minerals that had cemented into those cracks remained, leaving behind the weird pattern. 

The rover's science team doesn't expect Curiosity to reach its destination until at least late fall, said Catherine O'Connell-Cooper, a planetary geologist at the University of New Brunswick in Canada, in the mission log. 

"Our drives are long right now," O'Connell-Cooper wrote, "but we are still taking the time to document all of the wonderful geology as we go, and not just speeding past all of the cool things!"

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Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished Apple MacBook Air (1.8GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) $199.97
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This MacBook Air packs plenty of features in its slim design

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