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You can do better than the camera on your smartphone. Yes it's true that most people have taken on a sort of amateur photographer status, always ready to memorise a moment with their hi-res camera phone. We're in the age of social media and sharing pictures, after all. But real photography demands real equipment. And what better way to get stuck into the world of photography than with a mirrorless camera?

Maybe you’re a camera newbie, or you’re looking to make the jump from a DSLR model? Perhaps you’re already a mirrorless devotee looking for a much-needed upgrade? Either way, mirrorless is the latest word in digital photography technology.

Knowing where to start is particularly hard for photography beginners, with all the jargon, specifications, and brand names to figure. But we can help bring things into focus and, well, put you in the picture. Here's some useful information and a round-up of the best mirrorless cameras available right now.

What is a mirrorless camera?

The clue’s in the title, though we appreciate that doesn’t make it any easier to understand. DSLR cameras reflect images into the camera’s viewfinder via a mirror, which is placed between the lens and the camera sensor. But mirrorless cameras use an electronic viewfinder (EVF), which is an LCD monitor on the back on the camera body. Light goes into the lens and is digitally converted and displayed on the monitor.

Is mirrorless better than DSLR?

Mirrorless cameras — which are sometimes called hybrid cameras — have overtaken DSLR cameras as the most popular choice for photographers. The biggest selling point is that mirrorless cameras are lighter and much less clunky. They’re far easier to take on your travels and generally carry around. But that's not all they're good for. Here are some other great mirrorless camera features:

EVP Monitor — The monitor allows you to easily frame your subject in “live view” and access features via touchscreen. These monitors are often “vari-angle”, meaning they articulate outwards and in all directions, which is great for framing selfies.

IBIS — That’s the technical term for in-body image stabilisation. This essentially stabilises the sensor so you can shoot handheld, without needing a tripod or gimbal. Not all mirrorless cameras have IBIS but it’s increasingly common.

Autofocus — This is a standard camera feature but often clunkier in DSLRs. Mirrorless cameras can have very advanced autofocus that tracks faces and eyes or fast-moving objects. You may be able to refocus with a quick tap of the touchscreen.

4K Video — OK, so it’s not only mirrorless that shoots video. Some DSLR shoot video too, but mirrorless are geared towards better video performance and features. Shooting in 4K sometimes crops the image (it depends on how advanced the camera is) though you can also find mirrorless cameras that have 6K-8K quality resolution.

Other features, though not exclusive to mirrorless, include WiFi and Bluetooth, app support, and fast burst speed rates (measured in frames per second — fps).

How are the drawbacks of mirrorless cameras?

There are always pros and cons. Due to the reduced size, mirrorless battery power isn’t always as good as DSLR cameras, and mirrorless cameras do tend to be more expensive. Another common complaint is that because the technology is newer, there are fewer lens and accessory options. But that’s a temporary issue.

How much does a mirrorless camera cost?

We won’t lie to you. They’re not exactly cheap. The lowest priced camera on this list is around £500 and they can easily cost thousands of pounds. Even beginners can expect to spend somewhere around the £500 mark. The photography game is pricey.

What is the best mirrorless camera?

That’s a question only you can answer, because every photographer is different. Whether you’re a beginner, enthusiast, or professional, there’s a camera that’s just right for you — but it might not suit the photographer next to you. Because just like the actual photos, no two photographers are the same. But we can help you find the best mirrorless camera for you by pointing you toward some impressive models and putting them in (auto)focus. The choice is yours. We're just trying to give you a clear picture.

These are the best mirrorless cameras in 2025.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is simple if you understand basketball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, 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 the latest 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: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Roster of players

• Green: East coast college teams

• Blue: Power swing

• Purple: Teams that spelled like other teams

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

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

• Yellow: Club

• Green: ACC Teams

• Blue: Hit Hard, Like a Baseball

• Purple: Pro Team Names That End In Another Pro Team Name

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: Sports Edition #398 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Club - GROUP, SIDE, SQUAD, TEAM

• ACC Teams - DEMON DEACONS, EAGLES, HURRICANES, WOLFPACK

• Hit Hard, Like a Baseball - BELT, CLUB, MASH, WALLOP

• Pro Team Names That End In Another Pro Team Name - HORNETS, RED WINGS, SEAHAWKS, VIKINGS

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections 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.

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.

Happy Friday and welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 18, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 18, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 26 Pips

Greater Than (7): Everything in this space must be greater than 7. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (17): Everything in this space must add to 17. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 26 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 4-5, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add to 1. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally.

Number (22): Everything in this space must add to 22. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 26 Pips

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this red space must add to 5. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this green space must add to 5. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a boxing fan.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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 October 24, 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: Musical tools

• Green: Said by a famous boxer

• Blue: Competitions

• Purple: Small endings

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: Kinds of instruments

• Green: Words in a famous Muhammad Ali Quote

• Blue: Kinds of contests

• Purple: Words with diminutive suffixes

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 #868 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Kinds of instruments: BRASS, PERCUSSION, STRING, WIND

• Words in a famous Muhammad Ali Quote: BEE, BUTTERFLY, FLOAT, STING

• Kinds of contests: BEAUTY, POPULARITY, STARING, TALENT

• Words with diminutive suffixes: DOGGY, DROPLET, KITCHENETTE, STARLING

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 October 24, 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.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love the current season.

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 October 17, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Fall-ing

The words are related to a season.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe the harvest season.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Autumn.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 26

• Orchards

• Pumpkins

• Corn

• Autumn

• Football

• Harvest

• Foliage

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.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love a lip enhancement.

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 October 24, 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 October 17, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Chubby.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter P appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

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...

PLUMP

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 October 24, 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.

TL;DR: This Microsoft Surface SE is in brand-new condition, but it’s still on sale for only $189.99 (reg. $329).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface SE 11.6" Laptop (2022) Celeron N4120 8GB RAM 128GB SSD Win11 SE (Open Box) $189.99
$329 Save $139.01   Get Deal

If you’re on the hunt for a reliable, low-cost computer, a Microsoft Surface may fit the bill. The Microsoft Surface Laptop SE is an affordable, dependable computer that makes everyday tasks simple, whether you’re working, browsing, or streaming your favorite shows. Right now, you can get one for only $189.99 (reg. $329), but this sale won’t last much longer.

This model runs on an Intel Celeron N4120 processor with 8GB of RAM, which is plenty for handling multitasking, document editing, video calls, and web use without slowing down. The 11.6-inch display is crisp and clear, while the 128GB of eMMC storage gives you enough space for apps, files, and media. With up to 16 hours of battery life, you can stay unplugged for most of the day.

SEE ALSO: Apple's brand-new M5 MacBook Pro got a launch day discount: Save $15 on Amazon

At just 2.4 pounds, it’s light enough to carry around without feeling fragile. The plastic body is sturdy, and the fanless design keeps it quiet while you work. You’ll find a balanced mix of ports, including USB-A, USB-C, a headphone jack, and a dedicated power connector. The Surface SE also includes WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, stereo speakers, and a clear 1MP camera for video chats.

It runs Windows 11 SE, a simplified version of Windows that focuses on quick access and smooth performance. While it doesn’t support upgrading to the full Windows 11 version, it’s optimized for reliability and simplicity.

This is an Open Box product, meaning it may have been handled or displayed in a retail setting but remains in like-new condition. Each unit is inspected, verified, and repackaged before sale. It also comes with a one-year parts and labor warranty for extra peace of mind.

Get a Microsoft Surface SE while they’re on sale for $189.99 while you can.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $71: As of Oct. 25, this DJI mic mini is on sale for $98, down from its list price of $169. 

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic Mini (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) $98 at Amazon
$169 Save $71   Get Deal

This small but mighty DJI mic mini is on sale right now, and it packs a punch with a laundry list of features. The mic comes with two transmitters (mini lavalier microphones with clips) and one receiver. All of the pieces fit neatly into its lightweight portable charging case. Each lavalier transmitter microphone weighs just under 10 grams. The design is intended to blend in discreetly when used during filming. The DJI mic mini has a 400m max transmission distance for clear sound from far away or chaotic environments like busy streets or rough elements like wind and rain. 

This model‘s battery life can last up to 48 hours with the charging case. It’s also designed with 48kHz sampling and 120 dB SPL for crystal-clear sound for your content. There are two different noise-cancellation settings. Basic is perfect for quieter spaces that you really want to isolate, like indoor settings. Strong can isolate your audio when there’s a lot of outside noise or if you’re in a space with a lot of noise.

DJI Mic Mini is also intuitively designed to automatically lower input sounds that register as too loud. Whether you’re a seasoned content creator or filmmaker who is looking for a step up in your mic game or someone who has been relying on the built-in microphone in your device, this model could really step up your content’s audio quality.

There were headlines about the next Xbox console this week, but the biggest news out of Microsoft's gaming division actually concerned a competitor's platform.

On Friday, Xbox and current series developer Halo Studios announced Halo: Campaign Evolved. As its name suggests, this is a full-scale remake of the original Halo single-player campaign, built in Unreal Engine 5. It features all of the original levels, plus some new gameplay features on top of the rebuilt visuals. It's set for release sometime in 2026, and in a shocking development for anyone who used internet forums 20 years ago, it's coming to PlayStation 5 as well as Xbox and PC.

As you can see in a lengthy gameplay demo video set in perhaps the game's most famous level, The Silent Cartographer, Halo Studios has done some work on this game beyond just making it look more like a modern title. Features from later Halo games, like sprinting and the ability to aim down sights with every weapon, have made their way into this game. There will also be some weapons that weren't present in the first Halo, such as the Battle Rifle and Energy Sword, available for use in this game. Halo Studios is also promising three new prequel levels, but did not show them off or specify what they would be about.

SEE ALSO: Xbox president calls console exclusives 'antiquated'

This is interesting on a number of levels. First and foremost, for those of us who are old enough to remember the console wars of yesteryear, seeing Halo on a PlayStation console is roughly akin to when they opened a McDonald's in the Soviet Union. It's an anticlimactic conclusion to a decades-long ideological struggle, one that you could see coming from a mile away if you'd been paying attention for the past few years. Microsoft has been slowly building up to this by releasing first-party titles like Gears of War: Reloaded and Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 in recent months. Halo coming to PS5 in some form was inevitable.

It's also not without some controversy. Some longtime Halo fans online are not happy about the visual style on display here, while others have questioned the need to add new vehicles, weapons, and movement abilities to a game that arguably doesn't need them. One of the game's original level designers even weighed in on X to mildly criticize elements of the remake.

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That sort of thing is to be expected when remaking a bona fide classic like Halo, but at least on my social feeds, the reaction was harsher than usual. We'll see how it works out when Campaign Evolved launches sometime next year.

SAVE $150: As of October 25, this 13-inch 2025 MacBook Air is $849, down from its list price of $999 on Amazon. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop $849
$999 Save $150   Get Deal

Finding the right time to spring for a new computer can be all about waiting for the right device, with the right specs, and the right deal. This 2025 model with an M4 chip might be just the right fit for you. Coming in at $849 for a 13.6-inch display, Apple’s super-fast M4 chip, 16 GB of unified memory, and a 256 GB SSD. While this model isn’t ideal for folks working with large video editing projects or sizable photo editing content because of the hard drive size, it’s seriously powerful. 

This 2025 MacBook Air deal has a 12 MP center stage camera designed to render zoom calls with crystal clear resolution. It offers 18 hours of battery life to accompany you throughout your day at work or school. This particular MacBook Air comes in midnight black. You can also grab models in silver, gold, or sky blue for a $50 price increase. Stay connected to your other devices or up to two external displays with two built-in Thunderbolt 4 ports, a MagSafe charging port, one headphone jack, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Happy Friday and welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 18, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 18, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 25 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (8): Everything in this space must be less than 8. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add to 11. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 5-0, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 25 Pips

Number (24): Everything in this space must add to 24. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 25 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this green space must add to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (26): Everything in this space must add to 26. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this light blue space must add to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this purple space must add to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add to 6. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add to 12. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 6-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this light blue space must add to 4. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed vertically.

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

Gemini just got easier to access in Google's mobile web browser.

Chrome users on both iOS and Android can now activate "AI Mode" from the page that opens when you try to open a new tab, per 9to5Google. Previously, this page had a Google search bar and icons for some frequently visited websites, but now it has a big old AI Mode button right underneath the search bar.

There's also a button to launch an incognito tab right next to it, which might be more useful to you, depending on how you live your life.

SEE ALSO: How to use Google Meet's new AI makeup tool There it is. Credit: Screenshot: Google/Alex Perry

This gives users a much quicker way to launch into the Gemini-powered search capabilities of AI mode. To be clear, you could always use AI mode on mobile, but now there's a convenient shortcut for it that negates the need to remember the URL or set a bookmark.

For those who don't like AI-powered search, regular old Google search is right there on top of the shortcut.

During the early hours of Tuesday, Oct. 21, AWS went down. You'd think that would simply mean we couldn't shop on Amazon or Woot in the middle of the night, but this is highly incorrect, as we all now know. The AWS outage took down what felt like half of the internet. WhatsApp, Snapchat, Venmo, Slack, banks, airlines, shipping networks, and trading platforms like Robinhood all went offline on a global scale.

Some folks were impacted by the AWS outage to the point of losing sleep. Yes, the spendy Eight Sleep Pod system operates via a WiFi connection only, and the brand uses Amazon's cloud network to make that happen. Once AWS crashed, the Eight Sleep Pods lost connection to the mothership.

I'm in the process of testing the Eight Sleep Pod 5 for Mashable, the latest version of the Eight Sleep system. My full review isn't out yet, but I was certainly one of the sad people who slept poorly due to the outage. While the experience was much better than other nights I've had (like sleeping on an airport floor), it wasn't a great night, and getting my bed back online once AWS was back online took me hours.

The Eight Sleep Pod's (former?) WiFi addiction

The Eight Sleep Pod is a pricey smart bed with several components. First, there's the Eight Sleep Pod's cover, which slips over your mattress like a fitted sheet. This cover contains small water channels that connect to the Pod's Hub, or the brains of the bed. The Hub connects to the Eight Sleep Pod app, and from there, users can set temperature preferences, schedules, and a wake-up alarm.

Should users add the Eight Sleep Pod Blanket to the Cover, the Hub can also control it. The Blanket essentially works in the same way as the Cover. It's laced with small water channels that either cool or heat the sleeper to their preferred settings. The Eight Sleep Pod also uses AI with an automatic mode that makes small temperature adjustments throughout the night to optimize sleep.

People are paying big money to equip their mattress with the Eight Sleep Pod system. In a queen-size, the current model, the Eight Sleep Pod 5 with Hub and Cover, is selling for $3,348. Add the blanket to this setup, and you're at a total of $4,348. For those who want to further upgrade the sleep experience, Eight Sleep also sells an adjustable base with fancy features like a built-in speaker, the ability to set an alarm with vibration, and snoring mitigation. Add the base to the setup and it's a grand total of $6,398.

Credit: Eight Sleep Pod

Every element of the Eight Sleep Pod requires a WiFi connection to work, so when AWS crashed, so did the Sleep Pod. The temperature regulation stopped working, the base's elevation and vibration functions went offline, alarms went dead, and the app did not function except to give an error message after a few minutes.

Some sleepers were stuck in a real pickle

My bedroom is chilly by design. I love a cold room with a warm, cozy bed. I keep the Eight Sleep Pod's Cover and Blanket, keeping me toasty but not sweating. I woke up sometime around 1 a.m. PT on Oct. 21 to a cold bed. Since the water in the cover and blanket was no longer warming, and my bedroom was probably about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, my bed was cold to the touch. The water had more or less taken on the ambient temperature in my room.

I dove into the app to fix my chills, and while waiting for it to load (it was not loading), I noticed I was lying totally flat, not the standard sleep position with head and legs slightly elevated the base typically adjusts to at night.

It took me maybe an hour to figure out my bed was offline because of the AWS outage. I found out by reinstalling X on my phone and then locating the EightSleepApp account, which had posted about the outage to its 38 followers. At the time, the outage information wasn't posted to the brand's main X account, EightSleepPod.

I put on warmer pajamas and socks and added more blankets to my bed, and eventually, my body heat seemed to heat up the water chambers well enough that I could sleep again.

Other users were not so lucky and took to the internet to explain they were way too cold or sweating thanks to a hot bed. Others said their bases were stuck in an elevated position. Since the app wouldn't load, there was no way to make temperature or elevation adjustments. People also said they didn't wake up on time since the alarm function on the Eight Sleep Pod was also offline.

Changes coming to the Eight Sleep Pod

Eight Sleep has since acknowledged the bed's reliance on WiFi, and the AWS is not ideal. The brand's CEO, Matteo Franceschetti, announced Backup Mode on Oct. 22 via his X account. This new function allows users to alter the Pod's temperature and elevation when either the WiFi is out or the cloud network is down. Features vary slightly depending on which outage users are battling with, but the main problem of having no control over the temperature could be solved with this upgrade. Eight Sleep says the rollout is "gradual," and doesn't mention when all users will be in line for this new Bluetooth support.

This upgrade is great news for Eight Sleep Pod users who were left concerned about the expensive Pod's functionality during future outages. This is especially relevant as we head into stormy winter weather, which could turn WiFi routers off, unless you use a portable power station.

When all is said and done, we all gained a bit more knowledge this week. We now know AWS is one powerful beast that can legitimately ruin your slumber.

TL;DR: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Oct. 24-26. Spook Your Kindle, hosted by Dark Romance Team, is offering free dark romance books for your e-reader.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dark Romance Team Spook Your Kindle (Oct. 24-26)   Learn More

The Stuff Your Kindle Day schedule has lost all sense of reason. Fresh from the Stuff Your Kindle: Crime Edition and Cozy Mystery eBook Blast, we've got another event running through the weekend. And this isn't even the last event in October. We've got another two events lined up before the end of the month. This is great news for bookworms but terrible news for anyone who writes about the events.

Spook Your Kindle, hosted by Dark Romance Team, is offering you the chance to download free dark romance books on Oct. 24-26. And better yet, the books that you download are yours to keep forever. Lusting after dark romance? This is your chance to stock up and save big.

SEE ALSO: The best Kindle accessories for reading in luxury

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Spook Your Kindle takes place on Oct. 24-26. Recent events have taken place over a single day, which puts a lot of pressure on participants to find exactly what they want and download before time is up. This event is a little more generous and takes place over a few days. So relax, take your time, and peruse your options.

Who can take part in Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Arguably the best thing about Stuff Your Kindle Day (besides the free books, obviously) is that anyone can participate. Kindle, Kobo, and Nook readers can download these books for free. You can even download these books on your preferred app and read them directly from your phone. Everyone is invited.

Which e-books are free?

Dark Romance Team are hosting the Spook Your Kindle event. They state that "not all books are discounted for the entire length of the event, and we have noted that for each book based on our most recent update from the author." You can find every available title by following the link on the hub page to a helpful document. In that document, the author, book title, genre, tropes, and social links are all listed out so you can find something that ticks all your boxes.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep forever, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time. There's no reason to hold back.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite + Kindle Unlimited (3-Month Plan)   Get Deal Why we like it

These popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle Paperwhite. Prices start at $159.99, but you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase.

In this episode of How To Do It All, learn how to easily create AI-generated videos using Sora by OpenAI. From downloading the app on iOS to crafting your own prompts and appearances, we cover everything you need to know to start making your own AI generated content today.

It’s been 45 years since The Shining came out, we’ve had countless horror movies since with insanely high kill counts and absolutely shocking imagery, I should be numb to a story where  — spoilers for a cinematic classic — only two people die, and one because the doofus couldn’t find his way out of a hedge maze. And yet this movie is frightening in a way that’s really hard to pin down…how did Stanley Kubrick manage to make shots of a hallway creepy? Well, by making those hallways feel not just scary, but more specifically, Uncanny.

These days, “Uncanny” is a concept used most often in discourse about robots and computer animation. The Uncanny Valley, I know you’ve heard of it, or at least you know the feeling it evokes — The abject horror of this kid from The Polar Express, good god, get him off the screen. The Uncanny — capital T, Capital U, speaks to the fear of something that isn’t fully unknown…it’s unfamiliar, while retaining the elements of familiarity, and that tension causes a deep sense of unease. Returning to the Valley, think of those robots that move in a way that’s slightly wrong, and suddenly, you feel unsafe, in danger, but you’re not even sure exactly why. And this isn’t confined to robots and animation, of course, lots of stuff can be described as Uncanny, including ghosts, doppelgängers and mirrors, and can even be used to describe a human face.

Breaking it down, there’s a throughline, here — we’re being confronted with human or humanoid bodies not quite lining up with what we’re expecting, pulling at fears of loss of identity, fears about mortality, fears of childhood nightmares suddenly becoming true…but let’s take one step further, over the threshold from uncanny bodies to uncanny places. For example, have you ever been in a dead mall before? There should be people there. It’s built for foot traffic and to allow noise to carry, but it’s empty, silent, falling apart. There’s nothing dangerous there, but it feels terrible to be there, it feels off.

Kubrick leaned all the way in on this feeling with The Shining, which is set in a hotel that’s closed for the season. The halls and sitting rooms are empty — too empty. It’s disquieting from the jump because this just isn’t what a hotel is supposed to look like, to feel like. But sure, lots of movies are set in creepy old houses, but The Overlook Hotel isn’t creepy, at least on its face. There aren’t cobwebs and creaky floorboards and disjointed architecture that distinguish the classic haunted house. Instead, Kubrick decided to make the Overlook as real as possible, by sending out photographers to capture hundreds of pictures of real hotel halls and rooms and elevators, then picking the ones he found most interesting or evocative to build his sets from, replicating them down to the inch. Literally, they photographed the spaces with rulers in frame to make sure they were fully to scale. The Red Bathroom where Jack meets Grady: that was a real bathroom, created one-to-one on a soundstage in England. The fact that all of these spaces are clean, mundane, and downright normal just makes the discomfort all the more pronounced, because they feel like spaces we are familiar with. But something is clearly wrong in this hotel, and we just can’t put our finger on what that wrongness is.

It’s been 45 years, but the vibes of The Overlook are still a phenomenon. So sure, the lady in the tub is pretty scary, as are the twins. But at least for us, the most memorable bits of this movie are the long shots tracking through the hallways, the echoing emptiness of the Colorado Lounge, the unshakeable feeling of wrongness that The Overlook Hotel brings by simply being normal, and not, all at once.

What do you think? Does The Shining still give you nightmares, or has it gotten dated, at least as an entry in the horror genre? Let us know in the comments!

Samsung's long-awaited "Project Moohan" headset finally arrived earlier this week. The virtual reality headset dropped the codename and is now officially known as the Samsung Galaxy XR.

If you're in the market for a VR headset, you might have noticed that it's starting to get pretty crowded now. Meta Quest 3 has so far managed to dominate the space and is the toughest competitor to beat, thanks to a somewhat reasonable price tag. However, the Apple Vision Pro has carved out its own mixed-reality niche, despite the AR/VR headset's well-documented struggles.

Now, there's a new option: The Samsung Galaxy XR. How does it stack up? Mashable already pitted it against Meta's headset. Now, let's look at how Samsung's new VR headset compares to the Apple Vision Pro specifications, pricing, and feature set.

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Apple Vision Pro: Price The Apple Vision Pro on display in an Apple Store. Credit: Bob Henry/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Samsung Galaxy XR looked like the premium option when stacked up against the $499 starting price of the Meta Quest 3. Coming in at $1,799.99, the Samsung Galaxy XR is certainly not cheap.

However, when compared to the Apple Vision Pro, the Samsung Galaxy XR swaps positions and looks like the budget option. The Apple Vision Pro starts at a whopping $3,499, making it nearly double the price of the Samsung Galaxy XR.

Again, neither are cheap. The Meta Quest 3's price point makes it much more accessible to most consumers, though its specs pale in comparison to the Galaxy XR and Vision Pro. However, the Samsung Galaxy XR fits in pretty neatly right between the massive price gap that exists between Meta's headset and Apple's headset.

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Apple Vision Pro: Specs

Both the Vnew M5 Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR are premium products, but Samsung wins out in some key ways. It actually has superior displays, with 4,032 pixels per inch, compared to Apple's 3,386 PPI. On top of that, Samsung's headset is lighter.

Of course, the Vision Pro has something else — that signature Apple design and the visionOS interface.

Here are the basic specs for the Samsung Galaxy XR: 

• Two 4K micro-OLED displays with 3552x3840 resolution per eye, 29 million pixels, and up to 90Hz refresh rate 

• Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset 

• 109-degree horizontal, 100-degree vertical field of view 

• Eye tracking and iris recognition included 

• 256GB storage 

• 16GB RAM 

• 545g weight

Apple just released the latest version of the Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip. Here are the specs for its basic model:

• Dual Micro-OLED displays with 23 million pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate

• M5 chip (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) and the R1 chip for low latency

• Stereoscopic 3D main camera system with multiple world-facing and eye-tracking cameras

• 256GB storage

• 16GB RAM

• 600g weight

Breaking this down a bit further, display-wise the Apple Vision Pro has the better refresh rate but the Samsung Galaxy XR provides a clearer picture with more pixels.

Operating systems will also come into play here when comparing the two. The Samsung Galaxy XR is the first headset to utilize Google’s Android XR operating system. If you're an Android user already, that familiarity may be a welcome addition to a VR headset. However, the Android XR won't be unique to the Samsung Galaxy XR. Other headset manufacturers will also use Google's new operating system. On the flip side, much like Apple's other products and their respective operating systems, the Apple Vision Pro's visionOS will only be found on Apple's headset.

But, perhaps the most distinctive spec comes to what's powering the devices. While the Samsung Galaxy XR's Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset is very powerful, it is made for mobile. When it comes to the Apple Vision Pro, regardless of whether you have the M2 version or the more powerful M5, you're still using a headset with a chipset made for Apple's Mac computers. Either the M2 or M5 will provide significantly more processing power to the Apple Vision Pro than what the Galaxy XR's Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 can.

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Apple Vision Pro: Controls The Galaxy XR controllers. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Both the Apple Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR use a tracking system built into the headset that tracks both the user's eyes and hands. This allows the user to control the device without the need for a controller, which is often required for other headsets such as the Meta Quest 3.

However, the Samsung Galaxy XR also has a dual controller option, which the Apple Vision Pro lacks. This might be preferable for gamers who are used to utilizing controllers.

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Apple Vision Pro: Battery

Neither Apple nor Samsung has managed to figure out something new and revolutionary with what to do about a VR headset's battery pack.

Both offer a battery that's separate from the headset itself. This is likely due to how uncomfortable it would be to wear either company's headset for significant periods of time with the battery adding extra weight. So, both the Samsung Galaxy XR and Apple Vision Pro require users to lug the extra equipment around.

Battery life for both devices is also quite similar. Samsung says that the Galaxy XR headset can be used for up to 2 hours of general use. As much as an extra 30 minutes can be added to the battery life if the device is just used for video playback. The Apple Vision Pro with the M2 chip also has a battery that can support up to 2 hours of general use and 2.5 hours of video playback.

However, there is a small difference with the Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip. The latest version of the Vision Pro extends battery life so that it supports up to 2.5 hours of general use and up to 3 hours of video playback.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy XR $1,799.99 at Samsung
  Shop Now Apple Vision Pro (2025 $3,499 at Apple.com
  Shop Now at Apple.com

If you've chatted with any single friend lately or scrolled through social media, you know the general consensus: People are exhausted by online dating. The "app fatigue" is real, and it makes finding a genuine connection online feel impossible. As someone who's been testing and reviewing dating apps for years, I get asked one question constantly: Which apps actually work?

My answer is always the same: The only "hack" that works is choosing the right app for what you actually want. Someone on eharmony is looking for something different than a user on Tinder. That's why I've put in the hours, the swipes, and the subscription fees to find the best options for every kind of single person.

Remember: A 2023 Pew Research Center report found that one in 10 partnered adults met their significant other on a dating app, and the numbers are even higher for young people. More recently, the 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus found that 65 percent of people aged 18-29 have used a dating app. Countless connections truly have been sparked online, so to help you find your match, these are the best dating apps worth downloading in 2025.

If you need even more personalized advice, check out our guides to the best dating apps for men, women, and the LGBTQ community.

The dating apps I'd skip (and why)

You'll probably notice a few popular apps are missing from my list. That’s intentional. Part of my job is to filter out the platforms that aren't worth your time, money, or sanity. An app doesn't get my recommendation just because it's well-known — it has to be effective and safe.

Here are a few popular dating apps I'd skip:

• Plenty of Fish (POF): I know this one shows up on a lot of lists, but in my opinion, it's a dating app ghost town. POF launched as a dating site back in 2003, and it shows. In my experience (and based on widespread user feedback), the platform is filled with bots and scams, and the odds of finding a quality connection are stacked against you. Unless you enjoy sifting through fake profiles, I think your time is better spent elsewhere.

• Raya: Raya is basically the Soho House of dating apps. It's exclusive, expensive, and not for the average person. You have to fill out an application to use it, and the vetting process can take anywhere from a few days to a few years. While it might be great for networking or bagging an influencer, it's just not a practical recommendation for most people who are simply looking for a date. (See also: The League.)

• Niche "hookup" sites (like BeNaughty, Fling, etc.): There's a chance you've seen ads for sites like these, which promise quick, no-strings-attached fun. Based on my research and countless user reviews, I'd advise you to steer clear. These platforms are notorious for being overrun with bots and having questionable billing practices, with users reporting unexpected and hard-to-cancel subscription charges.

Without Jupiter, primitive Earth might have drifted too close to the sun, rendering it incapable of hosting life, a study from Rice University in Houston reveals. 

That's one potential interpretation from new research that started with another curiosity: Scientists have long wondered why the earliest solid objects in the solar system didn't all form at the same time. Evidence from meteorites, the rocky space debris that falls to Earth, shows two distinct generations of these planet-building supplies. Though the first group formed quickly, within the first million years, the second group, which produced the rocky blocks closer to Earth, Mars, and Venus, didn’t form until 2 or 3 million years later. How enough dust remained to make this second wave of material, though, has been a mystery.  

To find out, researchers ran detailed computer simulations of the young solar system. The results, which appear in the journal Science Advances, point to Jupiter — whose mass today is more than double that of all the other planets combined — as the key player. Prior to this study, a model didn't exist that could fully account for the age gap in the ancient planet-building material. This research may be the first to combine how Jupiter grew, dust moved, and asteroids formed into one explanation.

Not only did the gas giant play a pivotal role in keeping Earth and its neighbors from migrating more inward, but it probably stunted their growth, too, cutting off their access to material from the outer part of the solar system, said Baibhav Srivastava, a planetary scientist and one of the study's authors.

"Our Earth might have become a 'super-Earth,'" Srivastava told Mashable. "This may have significant implications for the potential habitability of Earth as well, since it may have left the 'Goldilocks' zone of the solar system."

SEE ALSO: The corpse of a long-dead star surprises astronomers by eating a planet

The so-called Goldilocks zone refers to the region in space around a host star that isn't too hot or cold, allowing liquid water to exist on a planet's surface.

Many scientists call Jupiter the architect of the solar system because its immense gravity influenced the orbits of other planets and carved up the gas and dust from which they all emerged. This celestial neighborhood is about 4.5 billion years old. 

New research may be the first to combine how Jupiter grew, dust moved, and asteroids formed into one explanation. Credit: Rice University infographic

As the giant planet grew, it reshaped the sun's surroundings, according to the study. It drained gas from the inner region and created ridges of higher pressure that effectively fenced in dust and formed ring-like clumps of material. These "dust traps" allowed new solid objects to form long after the original ones, naturally explaining the age gap of the rocky space material. The timing of this second wave matches that of ordinary chondrites, the most commonly found type of stony meteorite on Earth. 

Scientists have estimated the ages of meteorites' parent bodies by measuring tiny amounts of isotopes, particular forms of elements, inside them. Because some isotopes are radioactive, they slowly change into other elements at a predictable rate. By comparing how much of the original isotope remains to how much has decayed, researchers can calculate when the rock solidified. It's similar to carbon dating ancient bones or wood on Earth, but with heavier elements, such as lead, rubidium, and strontium, Srivastava explained.

By the time the second generation of rocky material solidified, Earth was already forming, so they likely didn't contribute much to the planet.

Many scientists call Jupiter the architect of the solar system because its immense gravity influenced the orbits of other planets and carved up the gas and dust from which they all emerged. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech illustration

But the model supports the idea that Jupiter's birth must have come extremely early, within the first 2 million years of the solar system. That gave the young planet time to shape and structure the rest of the available gas and dust around the sun.

The findings mirror what astronomers now observe with powerful telescopes in other emerging star systems, said André Izidoro, a Rice assistant professor and author of the study.

"Looking at those young disks, we see the beginning of giant planets forming and reshaping their birth environment," Izidoro said in a statement. "Our own solar system was no different. Jupiter’s early growth left a signature we can still read today, locked inside meteorites that fall to Earth."

TL;DR: Scan, OCR, edit, sign, and share from your phone forever with a lifetime subscription to iScanner for $24.99 with promo code SCAN through Nov. 2.

Opens in a new window Credit: iScanner iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription $24.99
$199.90 Save $174.91   Get Deal

If your “scanner” is a dimly lit photo of a crumpled receipt, it’s time for an upgrade that lives in your pocket. iScanner is a US-based scanning and document management app that turns your iPhone, iPad, or Android device into a clean, reliable PDF machine. For new users, this lifetime subscription to iScanner is $24.99 with promo code SCAN until November 2, giving you a full, ad-free toolkit you’ll actually use.

Open the app, point your camera, and let the AI do the heavy lifting — it detects edges, straightens pages, flattens curves, and removes noise automatically. Need to search or copy text? Built-in OCR recognizes 20+ languages so scans become searchable, editable PDFs instead of static images. From there, you can mark up, redact, add watermarks, merge or split files, fill forms, and sign — then export to PDF, JPG, DOC, XLS, PPT, or TXT.

SEE ALSO: Save over $20 on this creator-approved wireless microphone bundle from Hollyland

It’s built for real-world chaos: multipage documents, IDs and passports, receipts, tickets, handwritten notes, and classroom handouts. Extra modes handle math problems and measurements, while a QR reader keeps utility scans simple. A full PDF editor and tidy file manager help you organize with folders, drag and drop, and PIN locks for sensitive documents. You even get 200 MB of included cloud storage for quick syncs between devices.

Because this is a lifetime plan for new users, there are no monthly fees and no ads, just a straightforward tool that makes paper painless.

Clean up your paperwork pipeline the smart way.

Grab lifetime access to the iScanner App for $24.99 with code SCAN by Nov. 2 and make pro-grade scans from your phone whenever, wherever.

StackSocial prices subject to change.