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The Moon is only a few nights away from reaching its full phase. If you're planning to take a look tonight, here's what to know about its current appearance and what you might spot on its surface.

What is today's Moon phase?

As of Saturday, Oct. 24, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 95% of its surface visible.

Tonight, without the use of visual aids you should be able to spot the Mares Imbrium, Serenitatis, Fecunditatis. If you have binoculars you'll also see the Endymion Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. Finally, if you have a telescope, you'll also see the Apollo 16 and 17 landing spots, and the Schiller Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon takes around 29.5 days to travel around Earth, and its appearance changes throughout the month. As it moves around our planet, we see different amounts of its sunlit side, from a slim crescent to the quarter phases and eventually a Full Moon. It then begins the cycle again. As NASA explains, these phases are caused by the Moon's changing position relative to Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blunder.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

GAFFE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Diplomat

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 24, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ENVOY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Ghost.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 24, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Oct. 24, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BOGEY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Comedian.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CLOWN

Final Hurdle hint

Belly button.

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

NAVEL

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

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2026 Comic meaning

A type of cartoon.

Salad meaning

A meal often considered healthy.

Bacon meaning

A popular breakfast meat.

Sparkler meaning

A type of firework.

Popsicle meaning

A frozen treat.

Pop-up meaning

Ads that appear in standalone boxes.

Candy meaning

A sweet treat.

Hobby Horse meaning

A toy that features a horse's head on a stick.

Banner meaning

Something that is displayed.

Pinwheel meaning

A toy that spins in the wind.

Space meaning

A place that is empty.

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Film meaning

Used to capture images in some cameras.

Interstitial meaning

Something that happens between things.

Sports meaning

A competitive form of play.

Möbius meaning

The name of a German mathematician who made a discovery now named after him.

Overlay meaning

To place something over the top of something else.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a math whiz.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 24, 2026 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: Can sometimes have the same second word

• Green: Structural similarity

• Blue: Common website visuals

• Purple: Same second word

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Kinds of strips

• Green: Things on sticks

• Blue: Online ad formats

• Purple: __ bar

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 #1231 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Kinds of strips: BACON, COMIC, FILM, MOBIUS

• Things on sticks: HOBBY HORSE, PINWHEEL, POPSICLE, SPARKLER

• Online ad formats: BANNER, INTERSTITIAL, OVERLAY, POP-UP

• __ bar: CANDY, SALAD, SPACE, SPORTS

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

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 will be easy if you've ever done chores.

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 24, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Re-fresh-ing

The words are dealing with dirt.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe the components needed to do laundry.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Laundry Day.

NYT Strands word list for October 24

• Detergent

• Basket

• Washer

• Laundry Day

• Rack

• Sink

• Dryer

• Iron

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 like Swiss cheese.

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, 2026 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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Porous.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No letters repeat.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter H.

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...

HOLEY

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.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

The cost of living is punting us all in the unmentionables right now. Spending your hard-earned cash on an expensive Halloween costume can feel unwise, especially since you'll only wear it for one night. 

Fortunately, you don't have to choose between getting into the Halloween spirit and making sensible financial decisions. Several of this year's most recognisable film and TV costumes feature clothes you can add to your everyday wardrobe after the holiday. In many cases, we even know the exact pieces the costume designers used, meaning your 2026 Halloween costume could be your most impressively screen-accurate yet.

Here are some 2026 Halloween costumes that can easily be added to your regular wardrobe after the spooky season ends (provided you don't stain them with fake blood).

Bryan from Resident Evil Credit: Resident Evil / Sony Pictures

Resident Evil's beleaguered protagonist Bryan wears just one outfit throughout the film, as the entire bloody horror takes place on a single awful night. The medical courier's outfit also features several layers, making it a great costume choice as the weather gets colder.

The primary prop you'll need for a Resident Evil costume is a green cooler bag, which you can easily customise with a cross using white fabric paint. You could try snagging the official $25 Resident Evil Medical Courier Popcorn Bucket instead if you don't want to bother with painting. However, these popcorn buckets have been in high demand, so getting one by Halloween will likely be difficult. The Resident Evil popcorn bucket also features a fake-looking splash of blood and has the film title emblazoned across the back, which makes it less appealing for costume purposes.

Aside from Bryan's medical courier bag, a Resident Evil costume simply requires you to bundle up. Layer a yellow plaid shirt, a dark jacket, and a blue reflective vest, add the bag, and your costume is complete (blood splatters and an exhausted expression optional). This costume also has the benefit of making you highly visible to drivers while out trick-or-treating.

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If you're hoping to be as film-accurate as possible, Resident Evil fan account @RENews_X contacted costume designer Caroline Fahrer to get all the details on Bryan's outfit. It turns out that he's a fairly well-dressed courier — his beloved Js are a pair of customised Nike Jordan Spizike Low Rare Air sneakers in Oil Grey, released last year for $160. Unfortunately, many of the exact items Bryan wore will be difficult to get your hands on, with even pieces such as his stylish mustard FromTheSource Chunky Knitted Sheep Bobble Hat all sold out. Even so, @RENews_X provides a good reference to help you get as close as you can.

Nikki from Obsession Credit: Focus Features

Indie horror hit Obsession had a limited budget of approximately $750,000, with just $6,000 set aside for wardrobe. As such, costume designer Blair James had to be economical, selecting affordable pieces and thrifting to curate the characters' outfits. While this posed a challenge for James, it also means that a screen-accurate Obsession Halloween costume won't hit your wallet too hard.

One of the most iconic Obsession outfits is Nikki's final dress (or rather, Sarah's): the $69 Defiant Love Mini Dress from Dolls Kill. This budget-friendly Halloween costume fitting for Obsession's characters, as their retail jobs meant they probably weren't spending hundreds of dollars on a single dress. To steal Nikki's entire look, all you need to do is pair the dress with a black body marker and a lot of fake blood.

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Another instantly recognisable Obsession costume is Nikki's party outfit, which James chose based on what the character would believe appeals to the male gaze. The exact pieces Nikki wore are the $49 Cielo Mesh Halter Top Red Zebra from Princess Polly and Edikted's $165 Washed Faux Leather Micro Cargo Shorts in Black. You don't need both exact pieces, though: you could just pair the Princess Polly halter with any dark micro shorts and still be identifiable as Nikki.

If you do want to go all-out, James revealed in a TikTok that Nikki's shoes were black knee-high Calvin Klein boots. While the exact boots appear to be no longer available, Calvin Klein's Leather Kitten Heel Tall Zip Boots look practically identical. Accessorise with a silver spiral pendant necklace for an extra film-accurate detail.

Patricia from Widow's Bay

When designing the costumes for comedy horror Widow's Bay, Alex Bovaird considered where people on the sleepy little island would have gotten their clothes. Rather than trendy stores, she thought that Widow's Bay residents would shop in thrift stores, choosing from clothes that were brought from the mainland years ago and simply circulated among the community.

Patricia's sunset cocktail party dress was no exception. In one of the most iconic looks from Widow's Bay's first season, Patricia attempted to elevate a dated red dress with a silver tiara adorned with clear glass crystals. Or, more accurately, she paired it with a disturbing headdress made from deer antlers, twigs, and a fox's pelt.

The exact dress that Patricia wore was a retro Carole Little '80s does '40s watercolour dress, which is practically impossible to get your hands on now. You'd need exceptional luck and a lot of time to spend searching to find the same design.

Fortunately, substituting another red floral midi dress with sleeves will still allow you to create a recognisable Widow's Bay costume, especially if you can find one with retro vibes. This means you have some leeway to choose a dress you'll wear as an everyday outfit once Halloween is over. Though important, the dress is merely an accompaniment to the real star of this Halloween costume: Patricia's antler headdress.

While it would be easier to simply wear a tiara to recreate Patricia's look at the start of her party, the antler headdress is what makes this Widow's Bay costume instantly recognisable — as well as much more fun. You'll have to make it yourself, as cursèd antler crowns are hard to come by in stores. However, deer antlers are also relatively affordable, and twigs can easily be collected. A real fox pelt would not be very budget-friendly, but it's easy enough to take apart a soft fox toy to use in your costume instead. 

To go the extra mile, you could also print out a cover for Patricia's book Your Turn: Out With the Old and In With the New by Lucy Fours. Wrap it around a hardcover, and you have your very own self-help book/necronomicon to guide you through a successful Halloween party.

Airbnb is telling hosts to ease up on checkout chores, and some are furious. There's a petition to reverse the policy, calls to pull listings in protest, and heated Reddit debates over whether guests should have to wash dishes before leaving (yes, even after paying a cleaning fee).

But not all hosts are on the same side. While some argue that Airbnb is taking away their control over their properties, others have a message for their fellow hosts: This is the hospitality business. Let people enjoy their vacation.

The new policy being debated over — which applies to reservations booked on or after Nov. 20 — generally prohibits hosts from asking guests to complete time-consuming tasks or work typically handled by a cleaner. That includes stripping beds, taking trash off-site, and washing and putting away dishes. It also requires house rules and requests to be disclosed in the designated listing section before booking.

For travelers tired of paying a cleaning fee and still getting a checkout chore list, that might sound like good news. In host Reddit threads, however, the dirty dishes have become a much bigger debate about what guests owe the people renting them a place to stay.

SEE ALSO: Airbnb hosts can’t make guests do chores under new rules Some hosts want Airbnb to reverse course

A Change.org petition (with over 11,000 signatures) is asking Airbnb to reconsider its restrictions on washing up. Its argument? Renting a place with a kitchen comes with some responsibility for what happens in that kitchen.

"These are not professional cleaning duties," the petition reads. "They are ordinary aspects of living responsibly in somebody else’s property."

Credit: Screenshot: Change.org

The organizers say they support restrictions on excessive demands, including laundering linens and deep-cleaning kitchens. But they argue that washing dishes is different, and warn that additional cleaning expenses could eventually mean higher prices for guests.

Some hosts are calling for a strike. According to WIRED, one person in a Facebook group for hosts proposed collectively unlisting properties for a day or two. "Airbnb built its empire on OUR properties. It’s time we reminded them who actually holds the power," they wrote. For Ryan Robbins, a host in Searsport, Maine, the change has prompted questions about whether to keep using Airbnb. Robbins, told NEWS CENTER Maine that though he already cleans his rental himself and typically only asks guests to wash their dishes, the rule-change "doesn't allow us to manage our properties the way we should be able to."

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On Airbnb's own community forum, a host argued that the company was limiting hosts' ability to protect their properties. "We are not running hotels. We are sharing our properties," they wrote.

Similar frustrations have surfaced on Reddit, where one host's complaint about the policy opened with: "This might be a new low for what is already one of the worst companies in the world." The poster said cleaners in their region typically don’t include dishwashing in their service, and argued that manually washing dishes accumulated over a week could make it difficult to get a property ready between reservations.

One post goes as far as asking fellow hosts, "can we not just band together and build our own post-airbnb platform?"

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Other hosts think the outrage is the problem

The backlash has also prompted hosts to explain why they welcome the change.

In one Reddit thread in r/airbnb_hosts, the poster described being frustrated by a stay that combined a cleaning fee with instructions to strip beds, start laundry, and navigate a parking garage to dispose of garbage. At their own rental, they said, they prefer to handle tasks such as removing sheets themselves so they can check for damage. Another commenter said their cleaners specifically ask guests to leave beds intact for the same reason.

Several hosts said they already offered an easy checkout, and now it won't distinguish their listings. "My only (selfish) complaint is that now I feel like my listing won't be special by not requiring a single thing upon checkout," one commenter wrote.

In another post, a user who described their rentals as "no chores stays" urged others to rethink their expectations. "We run a business," they wrote. "Also, we are in the hospitality business. Hotels don’t ask their guests to do these things, and neither should we."

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Other commenters argued that considerate guests tend to tidy up anyway. Making everyone follow a chore list, they suggested, risks frustrating the very people who were already going to leave the place in good shape.

Guests still have responsibilities

Some of the discussion goes beyond dishes. In the supplied threads, hosts also raised concerns about how the redesigned rules section accommodates local regulations, fire precautions, and restrictions tied to their properties.

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Airbnb does provide a designated section for local rules, including homeowners association policies and government requirements that could result in fines. Those concerns shouldn't be confused with a blanket ban on setting expectations for guests.

And the cleaning changes don't give travelers permission to trash a rental. Airbnb's ground rules for guests still prohibit leaving a property in a condition that requires excessive or deep cleaning, with moldy dishes and soiled carpets among its examples. Hosts can also leave cleanliness ratings and reviews.

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"Most guests just clean up because it's normal human behaviour, not because you told them to," one Reddit commenter wrote. "The ones who don't won't change regardless of what the rules say."

As of Oct. 22, 2026, Amazon has rebranded Kindle Unlimited as Kindle+. We've updated this article to reflect the name change.

Just bought a new Kindle? If so, you might have scored a sweet deal to get a month of Kindle+ totally free. While you might enjoy the access to endless books in the Kindle+ library for a bit, eventually, you'll be charged $11.99 per month to keep enjoying said books.

If $12 a month isn't in the budget, or you're just not utilizing Kindle+ to its full potential, it's time to break up. So here's a quick three-step guide on how to cancel your Kindle+ membership.

How to cancel Kindle+ membership Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• Computer

Step 1: Go to your Subscriptions & Membership tab

Under the 'Accounts & Lists' tab on Amazon, you'll find a 'Memberships & Subscriptions' link. Click the link and you'll find a list of all your subscriptions.

Credit: Amazon / Mashable

Step 2: Find Kindle+ and click 'Cancel'

Under 'Memberships & Subscriptions' you'll find a list of all your active and past memberships. Find Kindle+ and click 'Cancel'. Move through the prompts to continue cancellation. If you're on a free trial, your membership should stay active through the promotion period.

Credit: Amazon

New US users can get a Babbel lifetime subscription with all 14 languages for just $159 (reg. $299) using StackSocial’s code LEARN for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $159
$299 Save $140   Get Deal

Learning a new language isn’t easy, but it also might not be as hard as some apps make it seem. If memorizing vocab lists isn’t working for you, check out Babbel. They take a more practical approach to teaching, and there’s even an AI conversation partner who can help you practice your pronunciation.

Normally, a Babbel lifetime subscription would cost $299, but right now it’s on sale for $159. Check out what that gets you.

Babbel gives you lifetime access to courses in 14 different languages, and the format is designed to fit into real life. Each lesson takes around 10 to 15 minutes, so you can actually stick with it whether you’re commuting, traveling, or just squeezing in some study time between meetings.

Here are a few of the included languages:

• Spanish

• French

• German

• Italian

• Portuguese

• Swedish

And that’s just the beginning.

Unlike other apps that focus heavily on word games or repetitive matching drills, Babbel centers its content around practical conversation topics. You’ll get lessons on travel, shopping, business, culture, and more, all developed by expert linguists and backed by academic research. Speech recognition helps fine-tune your pronunciation, while the new AI-powered conversation partner lets you practice speaking in real time.

Lessons sync across devices, so you can start on your computer and finish on your phone. There’s also an offline mode if you want to download lessons in advance. You can move at your own pace, revisit review sessions, and jump between beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels based on your comfort.

Use code LEARN to get a Babbel lifetime subscription for only $159 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

While the iPhone Duo has been mostly showered with praise on its launch day, there has been some criticism of the device. Reviewers aren't fans of the FaceTime camera's output quality, many apps have not yet been optimized for Apple's first foldable device, and there's a new report showing that the inner display's crease at the hinge becomes more visible as users fold and unfold the device over time.

However, just hours after the iPhone Duo was released, some users are going home to find what appears to be a major defect that makes those previous critiques pale in comparison.

Reddit

The inner display of the iPhone Duo is cracking from top to bottom along the entire hinge — right where the device folds — for some very unlucky first-day iPhone Duo users.

It's unclear exactly what the issue is, but the result appears to be the same each time, according to photos of cracked iPhone Duo displays spreading across social media. A large crack appears on the inner display right along the hinge. In addition, the cracked hinge causes a pixel issue on the right-hand side of the inner display, resulting in a bright white line.

Reports of faulty iPhone hinges don't seem to be contained to any specific market, either. While it's also unclear just how widespread the defect is, users from the U.S. to Australia to China have all reported cracked iPhone Duo displays at the hinge.

Reddit

A Reddit user in Australia shared his customer support experience while contacting Apple about his defective iPhone Duo. Over the phone, the company offered to provide an express replacement; however, the user would have to "put down a hold for the full cost of the phone." Apple also couldn't guarantee a timeframe for when the replacement would arrive. The user decided to go straight to the Apple Store instead, where they "apologized and replaced it with a brand-new one on the spot." It seems Apple may have some extra iPhone Duo devices in-store as replacements for when problems arise.

The Australian Redditor said the crack occurred in less than 6 hours after picking up the iPhone Duo and after they folded the device fewer than 20 times.

As MacRumors points out, Apple may be looking to collect broken devices to investigate what went wrong and fix the issue when manufacturing iPhone Duo devices going forward.

Consumers should always expect some issues and bugs with first-generation devices such as the iPhone Duo. But a huge crack down the middle of the inner display is certainly an extreme defect. Apple will undoubtedly fix the issue for unlucky customers, but it's certainly a big launch-day inconvenience for the first iPhone Duo owners. 

There's always a new AI photo trend on TikTok, whether people are turning themselves into caricatures or posing for an '80s yearbook portrait. If you've tried those and are looking for another excuse to play around with AI image generation, the "I'm so sorry" trend has people digging through their childhood photos — and apologizing for what they find.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT '80s trend: Prompts to try it yourself

People are sharing edited versions of their baby pictures, childhood snapshots, and old Halloween costumes, then revealing the changes one slide at a time. With every swipe, another detail gets stripped away until they unveil the real photo — and the result is usually pretty horrifying. Horrifying enough that users feel compelled to caption their posts with "I'm so sorry." The carousels are usually set to Harry Styles' "Coming Up Roses" or Prince's "Purple Rain."

The appeal of the trend is in the anticipation. Once you understand the format, even an innocent opening photo becomes suspicious. You start inspecting the hair, the outfit, the background. Something is going to go. Something is going to appear. You just don’t know what!

In the Halloween versions, that can mean revealing a costume was much more homemade or culturally offensive than the opening image suggested. Other versions start with a picture-perfect baby portrait before revealing a newborn photo that is not as cute as expected (I'll leave it at that). Some depict yearbook photos or women after giving birth.

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According to Know Your Meme, one of the earliest known examples came from TikTokker @theywanthunter on Aug. 22, when he posted a carousel featuring his supposed girlfriend saying, "Happy 2 years bae," before revealing that both the woman and the man in the image had been edited. The video had accumulated more than 25 million views by October.

Viewers online are eating it up, for the most part. "The 'I'm sorry I lied' trend on TikTok has to be the funniest trend ever," one user wrote. Another said it was "actually making me feel better about my childhood photos."

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But others are less amused by exactly how those slideshows are made. "Why do we keep normalizing uploading pictures of children into a public AI?" another user asked, raising a real concern that in order to participate in the trend, people are handing real childhood photos over to AI tools.

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Those very real concerns center on what happens after the upload. Depending on the service and its settings, images may be retained or used to help train AI models. The public can also easily copy and manipulate those without permission. UNICEF has warned that real photographs of children are being altered into sexually explicit deepfakes. Of course, that doesn’t mean participating in this trend will lead to abuse, but it helps explain why some viewers are questioning the privacy trade-off behind the joke.

How to do the 'I'm so sorry' trend

Start with the photo you want to reveal at the end, then use an AI image editor (any will do) to create a more polished-looking version. You might change the hairstyle, upgrade the outfit, or give the background a makeover.

Then, for a gradual reveal, add in one edit at a time and save each version. Then arrange the images in reverse order. Upload the images as a TikTok photo carousel or create a video slideshow using an editing app, and add captions over each photo, admitting to each change as you go.

Finish with the original photo and the obligatory "I’m so sorry," then add your chosen audio from either the Harry Styles or Prince track. They're both pretty great songs.

Shopping on Etsy shouldn’t require figuring out whether the product in the photo actually exists. Now, the marketplace is introducing new rules to help take some of that guesswork out of buying.

Etsy announced new restrictions on Oct. 22 in a news post titled "Creativity and Trust in the Age of AI," in which the marketplace banned AI-generated patterns, recipes, and other instructions that buyers follow to create a finished product. Sellers must also show a real example made using those instructions. An AI-generated image of what your project could theoretically look like won’t cut it.

"AI should support our sellers' creativity and craftsmanship, not replace them," James Ossman, Etsy’s vice president of customer operations, wrote in the announcement.

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For most listings, sellers will need to include at least one completely unedited photo showing the actual product against a real background. Some categories, including digital, customized, and made-to-order items, have different requirements. Sellers can still edit additional photos using software or AI tools, but those images must accurately show what buyers will receive.

There are potential consequences for misleading listings. If a seller's images don't meet the requirements and a buyer opens a case because the product looks materially different, the seller could be responsible for a refund. Bot-generated listings without human involvement will be removed and could also result in the seller’s shop being removed from Etsy.

SEE ALSO: Etsy says it will allow the sale of AI-generated art but not AI prompts

For shoppers, the frustration goes beyond disliking AI art. According to online testimonies, generated images can make it harder to judge the actual product. In a Reddit discussion about the announcement, one user said they stopped buying from a shop selling molds used to make bath bombs after it replaced real product photos with AI imagery. They wanted to see both the mold and a bath bomb made with it so they could assess the details and quality before buying.

"I can't tell anything from a fake generated unrealistic idea of the mold," they wrote.

Another commenter said the search itself had become exhausting: "I spent hours today trying to find an item that didn't have AI-generated art and eventually gave up."

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For some sellers, the frustration extends to their own shopping habits. "As a seller myself, I only shop on Etsy when I’m looking for something very niche," another user wrote. "Otherwise I don’t have the patience to scroll through several pages of AI crap before finding something not AI." One X user said: "Half the listings there looked nothing like what showed up in the mail, so this is overdue."

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The company, to their credit, had been listening to complaints. "Today, many active buyers say they can’t tell which items involve AI-generated content. It’s become a top-three barrier to shopping more often on Etsy," Ossman wrote in its notice to sellers.

Can sellers still sell AI art?

Yes. Etsy will continue allowing AI-generated art when sellers have a clear creative role and disclose their use of AI. They cannot present it as handmade or entirely their own creation.

That approach dates back to Etsy's July 2024 policy update, which allowed artwork generated using sellers’ own original prompts, provided they disclosed the AI use in the listing description. But Etsy drew a line at selling AI prompt bundles — collections of instructions for generating content — separately from finished artwork. The new restrictions expand those limits to AI-generated recipes, patterns, and other functional guides.

Appropriate use of AI, according to Etsy Credit: Screenshot: Etsy Inappropriate use of AI, according to Etsy Credit: Screenshot: Etsy

Enforcement is the next test. Etsy says it’s investing in technology to identify misleading images and fraudulent listings, with plans to expand removals over the coming months. It's also introducing prompts that alert sellers when an uploaded image appears AI-generated and offer guidance on meeting photo requirements. Shoppers will also have a new option to report misleading AI imagery.

As of Oct. 22, 2026, Amazon has rebranded Kindle Unlimited as Kindle+. We've updated this article to reflect the name change.

E-readers are one of our favorite topics to cover here at Mashable. Partly because we love testing them, but also because there is so much you can do with an e-reader to maximize your experience. We've walked through instructions on how to download EPUB files to a Kindle, covered the joys of Libby and Stuff Your Kindle Day, and taught you how to save when you spend with Kindle Rewards, but now we want to talk about Kindle+.

If you're a Kindle user, when you got your device, you were probably offered a free trial of Kindle+. But what exactly are you signing up for? In short, it's like Amazon's very own library service... except you have to pay for it. Here's everything you need to know about Kindle+.

SEE ALSO: 8 Kindle features you should be using What is Kindle+?

Formerly known as Kindle Unlimited, Amazon has rebranded its subscription service as Kindle+. But rather than streaming shows, it offers a catalog of books and magazines that users can borrow to read on an e-reader or through the Kindle app. It offers more than, say, a membership to Book of the Month does. Instead of getting one new book a month, with Kindle+ you receive access to the Kindle+ library, which is full of millions of titles.

It works like a library where you can borrow up to 20 books at a time (magazines don't count toward your borrowing limit). To be honest, if you use Libby, you're basically getting the same service for free, but Libby often results in long wait times for popular books, which isn't the case with Kindle+ — all of the books in the Kindle+ library are available all the time.

However, the Kindle+ library doesn't offer every book. Its library has a regular rotation, and some books are only temporarily available through Kindle+.

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How much is Kindle+?

Kindle+ costs $11.99 per month. It's a recurring payment, and no annual membership is offered. During shopping events, like Prime Day and Black Friday, Amazon typically offers a Kindle+ free trial for three months.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle+ $11.99 per month Learn More at Amazon What books are on Kindle+?

We can't go through every book offered on Kindle+ because that would mean parsing through millions of titles; however, the mix of books in the Kindle+ library is huge. It features books across all genres, plus bestsellers. The fantasy phenomenon Fourth Wing and the entire The Empyrean series are available on Kindle+.

Other featured titles included in Kindle+ are The Housemaid by Freida McFadden and Regretting You by Colleen Hoover — both of which are getting movie adaptations soon.

Other popular titles include books that are now Amazon Video adaptations, including The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han and Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

While browsing books, you'll know if a title is available on Kindle+ if it's prompting you to "join now to read." If you're already a member, it will prompt you to add the book to your library.

If a book is available on Kindle+, you'll be prompted to read for free. Credit: Amazon Do I need a Kindle to use Kindle+?

We love e-readers, and if you're thinking of getting one, especially a Kindle, you won't regret it. We have reviews on nearly every model, including the basic Kindle, Paperwhite, Paperwhite Signature Edition, and Scribe, all of which you can use to read with Kindle+. But you don't actually need an e-reader to use Kindle+.

You can read on any device with the Kindle app, including your computer, smartphone, and tablet. You can even read on a web browser.

Shop e-readers Kindle $149.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kindle Paperwhite $199.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kindle Colorsoft $289.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kindle Scribe $399.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kobo Clara Colour $179.99 at Amazon Shop Now Kobo Libra Colour $259.99 at Amazon Shop Now

Apple is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the iPod in style.

That is to say, by putting a fun little Easter egg inside the Apple Music website. If you know the right URL, you can find a virtual iPod living on the Apple Music site that's fully interactive, complete with the scroll-wheel interface that was so iconic on iPods back in the days before touchscreens. You can scroll through a shockingly large list of artists and listen to 90-second samples of songs that you probably would've been listening to back in the peak iPod era, such as Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz' "Get Low."

SEE ALSO: Apple Music will now cost you more There it is. Credit: Screenshot: Apple

The best part is you don't actually need to know the right URL. Just type whatever gibberish you want after the music.apple.com/us/ portion of the URL and the iPod will come to you on the 404 page. This is a fun way to let people reminisce about Apple's seminal portable music player 25 years after it first launched.

And if you're too young to remember a time before touchscreens, yes, we actually did navigate menus using a scroll wheel like that back then. It worked just fine.

The internet became sharply divided yesterday, as Prime Video announced Carrie would be renewed for a second season.

Just like that, you could tell who'd watched Mike Flanagan's latest horror adaptation and who hadn't. Sure, in Stephen King's novel, the story of telekinetic teen Carrie White has a pretty definitive ending. But as he did with Doctor Sleep and the Edgar Allan Poe-inspired The Fall of the House of Usher, Flanagan took some big creative liberties with his Carrie.

So, where could a Season 2 of Carrie go? What actors from Season 1 are likely to return? And when might King and Flanagan fans see more of Carrie?

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Here's everything we know about Carrie Season 2.

How does Carrie end? Summer H. Howell stars as Carrie White in Prime Video's "Carrie." Credit: Robert Falconer / Prime / Amazon Content Services LLC

In both the novel and most movie adaptations, Carrie White unleashes violent telekinetic vengeance on her high school classmates at prom. Then, she dies in the aftermath.

However, Flanagan's Carrie pulls an unexpected page from Stephen King's 1974 novel to build out the world of super-powered girls. King's epistolary novel ends with a letter from a woman who says her four-year-old daughter shows signs of telekinetic power, like her grandmother before her.

SEE ALSO: 'Carrie's twisty ending, explained

In Flanagan's Carrie, not only does the eponymous heroine (played by Summer H. Howell) not die, but she also runs off with the mysterious astral projector Emaline West (Thalia Dudek) to parts unknown.

"I am not stealing you away," Emaline tells a confused Carrie, "or keeping you in the dark. I am escorting you to safety from the monsters on our heels. And it is my fucking honor."

Who is looking for Carrie? Kate Siegel plays Adelaide in "Carrie." Credit: Robert Falconer / Prime / Amazon Content Services LLC

There are two factions, both of which were represented at prom.

One faction is led by Adelaide, played by Kate Siegel, a recurring Flanagan cast member, his wife, and the helmer of two Carrie episodes. The other is led by Amanda, played by recurring Flanagan collaborator Katee Sackhoff.

Pulling inspiration from the end of King's Carrie, Flanagan's version opens each episode with a vignette about a woman with supernatural powers. Those stories are all narrated by Adelaide, who appears to be a sort of Professor X figure.

Ruth Codd and Cassandra Naud appear in "Carrie." Credit: Robert Falconer / Prime / Amazon Content Services LLC

In a mysterious mansion, Adelaide appears to live with super-powered women, including Flanaverse regular Ruth Codd, Cassandra Naud, and Interview with the Vampire's Delainey Hayles. They can sense Carrie as soon as her powers begin to grow. Some of them appear at the prom, but not in time to save Carrie from the bucket of pig's blood and all that follows.

Instead, Carrie goes home, where her mother Margaret (Samantha Sloyan) — inspired by Amanda — tries to kill her. However, Carrie defends herself and brings the house down on top of them with her powers. From there, Emaline swoops in with a car to drive Carrie far away — from Margaret, who survived the house collapse, and all those who pursue Carrie.

What will happen in Season 2? Thalia Dudek plays Emaline in "Carrie." Credit: Robert Falconer / Prime / Amazon Content Services LLC

Well, presumably a battle for Carrie White.

Emaline, who promises to show Carrie the world, has been a friend to her throughout Season 1. But it's unclear what her motives are or what she wants from Carrie.

Adelaide's group is aware of Emaline and tells Margaret White that Carrie is alive, but in the hands of a dangerous astral projector. During their interrogation, they press for details — even looking into Margaret's brain for details on the car Emaline is in with Carrie. Then they kill Margaret after she confesses she, too, has some telekinetic powers. So, would Carrie be safe in their hands? Perhaps safer than if Amanda finds her.

Katee Sackhoff plays Amanda in "Carrie." Credit: Robert Falconer / Prime / Amazon Content Services LLC

Margaret meets Amanda when searching online for how to deal with a telekinetic teen in episode 7. Amanda speaks of a spectrum of telekinesis among teen girls, and spins conspiracy theories about these "others" suppressing knowledge of their powers.

"They form groups, cults, terror cells, covens," she warns Margaret before sharing a hint at her own history and her abuse of her own daughter. Amanda recommends that Margaret murder Carrie, and warns her to do it quickly. "I wasn't fast enough with mine," she laments.

Fans have speculated that Amanda's daughter, who escaped murder, is Emaline. This could explain why Emaline is so protective of Carrie and why she might distrust "covens" like Adelaide's, because of her mother's influence for worse and worse.

Season 2 will likely reveal more about Amanda, Emaline, and Adelaide, leaving audiences to learn alongside Carrie.

Flanagan told Deadline of the upcoming season, "For 50 years, audiences have known and gravitated to Carrie White’s story. From the beginning, we imagined a story that goes far beyond the prom, and I’m incredibly grateful for Stephen’s trust and support in exploring what comes next."

Will Carrie connect to The Shining? Delainey Hayles plays Caitlin in "Carrie." Credit: Robert Falconer / Prime / Amazon Content Services LLC

It could!

Beyond the King connection, Flanagan previously adapted Doctor Sleep, which was based on King's sequel to The Shining. Plus, when talking to Margaret about people with Carrie's powers, Adelaide calls it "shine," a term used in The Shining books and movies.

In an interview with EW, Flanagan imagined, "Carrie White, depending on how these universes are connected, would have arrived on the radar of the True Knot," referring to the vampire-like creators who stalk children with the shine in Doctor Sleep.

In the same interview, he also floated the possibility of working in elements of King's Dark Tower books, The Institute, and Insomnia.

Who will return for Season 2? Siena Agudong plays Sue Snell in "Carrie." Credit: Robert Falconer / Prime / Amazon Content Services LLC

Howell is set to return.

Beyond that, it seems safe to speculate that Dudek, Siegel, Codd, and Hayles will be back.

It's possible Siena Agudong could return as Sue Snell, since she survived the prom rampage. And while Sackhoff was shown knocked down in the fiery prom, Amanda could still be alive, and on the hunt for Carrie (and Emaline).

Less likely would be Alison Thornton, Joel Oulette, Arthur Conti, Matthew Lillard, Amber Midthunder, and Rahul Kohli returning, as their characters all died. But hey, Season 1 was largely told in flashback. So never say never.

When will Carrie Season 2 come out?

Prime Video has not yet announced a release date for Carrie's second season. However, THR reports, "Prime Video says the series was No. 1 on the Amazon-owned streamer in more than 100 territories in its first two weeks," so it's safe to assume the streaming platform is eager to get the next season in the works.

Mashable will update as news develops.

Dark Matter Season 2 is building towards its world-hopping conclusion.

Season 1 was already fairly mind-bending, but the second season of Blake Crouch's sci-fi has really dialled things up to 11. The penultimate episode, wherein we're following several different versions of the core cast, is no exception. But what happens at the end, and how is it setting things up for the finale? Let's recap.

SEE ALSO: 'Dark Matter' Season 2, episode 5 is the best kind of filler episode What happens at the end of Dark Matter Season 2, episode 9?

Remember all those Jasons (Joel Edgerton) huddled around the box at the end of Season 1? Season 2 has done a good job of exploring some of their fates. One of the Jasons that hasn't been so lucky essentially got captured by the Department of Defense, where he's been held prisoner for two years while Agent Mitchel MacNamara (Chris Diamantopoulos) and his team attempt to torture information about the box out of him.

The good news? Daniela (Jennifer Connelly), on her hunt for Charlie (Oakes Fegley) — who is in turn hunting for his twin brother, Max — stumbles into the same world and gets captured too. The thing is, she still has some vials. After a quick bit of plotting, she and Jason are able to trick Agent MacNamara into allowing them into the box, where they drug him and take him to a world he won't be coming back from anytime soon.

How do Jason and Daniela trick the agent?

After agreeing to show the agent how the box works, Daniela produces something she claims is a key to unlock it — all they have to do is open a panel hidden inside. Of course, the key is actually a syringe containing the drug needed to move between worlds. As soon as Agent MacNamara is in the box, they stick him in the neck with it.

Once they're in the corridor, Jason tells the agent they have to clear their minds to move between worlds, but it seems pretty clear from the look on his and Daniela's faces that they already have a destination in mind. Sure enough, despite its seemingly utopian appearance, the version of Chicago the agent wanders into — where people from all walks of life are gathered on the beach, crying and hugging — is actually counting down to something.

As the people on the beach reach zero, Jason slams the door to the box shut. The agent is left watching as meteorites rain down from the sky, a version of the apocalypse Jason presumably dreamed up while sitting in his cell, throwing a ball against the glass again and again.

What's next?

It's difficult to tell at this stage how all the different moving pieces will come together. The "original" Jason, Daniela, and Charlie are all scattered in different worlds; Jason is back in the pre-tech version of Chicago where the family settled, planning the destruction of the original box alongside Ryan (Jimmi Simpson), Amanda (Alice Braga), and Blair (Amanda Brugel). Daniela is now moving between worlds with another version of her husband, this one capable of murder. Charlie is in another world where his brother is still alive. And in the background, Leighton (Dayo Okeniyi) and the version of Jason that built the box appear to be having second thoughts about building another one.

There are an infinite number of ways this could go...

Dark Matter Season 2 is streaming on Apple TV, with new episodes dropping every Friday.

Your Downloads folder probably contains a few PDFs, forgotten screenshots, and several files named some variation of "final." But according to a recent report by security company Forever, it could also contain instructions telling your AI assistant to install malware.

In an Oct. 22 blog post, the company reported that they caught an AI coding assistant following those instructions on a customer's computer. The company blocked the installation, then traced the request to a text file in Downloads.

How does a text file get that kind of power? Tools like OpenAI's Codex and Anthropic's Claude Code can, depending on their permissions, edit files, run commands, and install software. Developers leave them instruction files called AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md to explain how to work on a project. If you're building a website, those notes might tell the assistant which fonts to use or what to test before finishing.

An attacker can leave instructions, too. In this case, the file told the assistant to install "function-color," a software package linked to the MALFEX malware campaign documented by Checkmarx.

SEE ALSO: PHP vulnerability: PHP security issues today explained

Forever didn’t establish how the file reached the customer's computer, but its researchers demonstrated one possible route. Depending on browser settings, a website can drop a file into Downloads without asking for approval. If someone then launches their coding assistant in that folder, it could read the file and follow its orders.

When Forever tested the customer's file on an isolated computer, it said Codex downloaded and ran the malware. It also changed settings that could make the attacker’s software load in later sessions.

"Once it is written, every Codex session on the machine loads the attacker’s server at startup — in any folder, any project," the researchers wrote. "You can leave the folder. The poison stays."

The team separately devised a test targeting Claude Code. The attack worked about half the time, redirecting Claude's traffic to a server the researchers controlled. That exposed a login token and allowed them to send commands back for the assistant to execute, illustrating the risk of giving an assistant access to your computer when it can mistake a stranger's instructions for its own assignment.

Researchers have pulled off similar tricks before, showing what AI can really do in the wrong hands. In March 2025, Pillar Security researchers got AI coding assistants to slip harmful code into a project by hiding malicious instructions in their coding rules. In April 2026, NVIDIA’s researchers used a poisoned AGENTS.md file to get Codex to sabotage software and conceal the change. This time, though, Forever says it caught an actual attacker trying the trick on a customer's computer. Yikes.

How to protect yourself

Forever recommends keeping coding assistants out of your Downloads folder and checking unfamiliar AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md files before letting an agent work in a project. Keep sandboxes enabled to restrict what the assistant can access, and leave approval requirements on so the agent has to ask permission before taking certain actions.

If you suspect an assistant has already followed malicious instructions, check its settings for unfamiliar servers or connections and revoke and replace potentially exposed login tokens. Deleting the original text file may not undo changes the assistant has already made.

"The thing to watch is not this file or this folder," the researchers wrote. "It is the agent itself — software that reads untrusted input, holds your credentials, and acts with your authority, sitting in a blind spot the old tools were never built to see."

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Would you let an AI-designed virus be injected in your body? Well, at least one individual just did, according to the company behind it.

AI bioscience startup Radical Numerics released a report this week saying a patient received a treatment containing an AI-designed virus. Radical Numerics says this is the first treatment of its kind.

The type of virus that Radical Numerics' AI model, called Omnii-1, created is called a phage, which isn't a new type of virus. Phage therapy is an existing experimental treatment where doctors administer viruses that attack bacteria to a person with a serious bacterial infection. The idea is to kill the bacteria causing the infection without infecting human cells.

Radical Numerics' AI model did design this specific phage to combat the patient's particular bacterial infection, and that AI-created phage was just administered to a person — which is a first.

SEE ALSO: AI is changing health: Here's what you should know

However, as the New York Times reports, there are some questionable aspects of this trial. 

For example, we don't yet know how the trial went. While the trial is ongoing, Radical Numerics won't provide information about the patient or the doctors involved. What's more, Radical Numerics' report wasn't peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal. Instead, the company simply posted the paper on its website — the same way any company might publish a news update or blog post.

The company's CEO, Eric Nguyen, said the team plans to share more details once they receive consent from the patient. He cited confidentiality agreements as the reason Radical Numerics can't disclose more information at this time.

We might be waiting a while to find out whether the treatment worked. While phage therapy can last anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks, doctors also have to monitor the patient for months afterward to make sure the infection was actually cured and won't come back.

With Sarah J. Maas's next installment, A Court of Splintered Harmony, arriving Oct. 27, another ACOTAR book hangover is inevitable. You know the symptoms: an inability to stop thinking about fictional people, an overwhelming urge to reread their best scenes, and the creeping suspicion that no other book will ever make you feel this way again.

Luckily, your next obsession might be waiting on another shelf. From the deadly vampire tournament of The Serpent and the Wings of Night to the dragon-riding chaos of Fourth Wing to other Maas classics, these eight books deliver dangerous worlds, complicated loyalties, and romances worth losing sleep over. Consider them your remedy for impending Prythian withdrawal.

SEE ALSO: Everything to remember before the next 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' book 1. The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

For readers who loved watching a human survive among dangerously powerful immortals.

If Feyre trying to stay alive Under the Mountain had you stressed, meet Oraya. She’s a human raised by a vampire king, which means she’s spent her life surrounded by people who could eat her. Hoping to improve those odds, she enters a deadly tournament and teams up with Raihn, a vampire who's both her competition and an enemy of her father. An inconvenient person to find attractive, really.

Oraya needs help surviving, but trusting the wrong person could kill her — a predicament that should feel familiar to ACOTAR readers. Welcome to The Serpent and the Wings of Night.

This New York Times bestseller began as a self-published novel in 2022 before Bramble picked it up and rereleased it in December 2023, bringing Oraya’s romantic and survival problems to even more readers. And there’s plenty to keep you busy: Five of the six planned main books are out, along with two companion books, though Oraya and Raihn’s central story wraps up in the first two.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia Book 1) $6.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon 2. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

For readers who want forbidden attraction and a heroine questioning everything.

Poppy is supposed to save her kingdom, but she's barely allowed to participate in it. Chosen as the Maiden, a sacred figure in her society, she lives under strict religious rules: no friendships, no romantic relationships, and very little freedom while she waits for a ceremony called her Ascension. She secretly trains to fight anyway. Then she meets Hawke, the guard assigned to protect her, and starts wanting a life she’s been told she can’t have.

Their forbidden attraction helped earn From Blood and Ash the romance award in the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards, where it received roughly 79,000 votes. But Poppy has more to contend with than feelings for her guard: As violent threats to the kingdom grow, she begins questioning the religious authorities who control her future.

If you liked ACOTAR's mix of romance, secrets, and a heroine discovering that the people protecting her might also be holding her back, this belongs on your list.

From Blood and Ash $8.99 at Amazon
$19.99 Save $11.00   See It at Amazon 3. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

For readers who want deadly training, simmering hostility, and wings.

Violet Sorrengail wanted to spend her life working with books. Instead, her mother sends her to a military college, where she must convince a dragon to bond with her and avoid being killed by her classmates — a substantial departure from her original career plan. Making matters worse is Xaden Riorson, a powerful wingleader whose family history gives him every reason to hate hers.

Violet also has chronic conditions, a characteristic inspired by Fourth Wing author Rebecca Yarros's own experiences with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and POTS. "I went to my publisher and said, 'I want her to have what I have,'" Yarros told Elle in 2025. This shapes how Violet approaches the college's deadly challenges, relying on her intelligence to survive situations she can’t simply overpower.

SEE ALSO: 'Fourth Wing' has cast its Violet and Xaden, and fans have thoughts

And if you get attached, you’ll have plenty of company. Onyx Storm, the third book in Yarros's series, sold 2.7 million copies in its first week in 2025, according to publisher figures reported by the New York Times. A Prime Video adaptation is also in the works, backed by Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society, with Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya reportedly cast as Violet and Xaden. (There’s no premiere date yet, so you have time to form your own opinions before the screen versions arrive.)

If you enjoyed watching Feyre work out how to beat opponents much stronger than her in ACOTAR — while developing feelings for someone she has reasons to avoid — there will be plenty here to keep you occupied.

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean Book 1) $14.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon 4. The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

For readers who take the "enemies" part of enemies-to-lovers seriously.

Lara isn't marrying King Aren with hopes of a happy life together. No, she's been trained to infiltrate his kingdom, discover its weaknesses, and help her homeland bring it down. Unfortunately for the mission, spending time with her husband and his people makes her question whether she’s been given the full story.

Important note: There's no actual magic in this world, but an undercover mission disguised as a marriage supplies more than enough trouble. And if you prefer listening to your fictional relationship problems, this one actually started as an audio series. The Bridge Kingdom debuted as an Audible Original in 2018, before Jensen self-published the print and digital editions in 2019.

The Bridge Kingdom $5.99 at Amazon
$17.99 Save $12.00   See It at Amazon See It at Amazon 5. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

For readers ready to get attached to another Maas heroine.

If you can't seem to get yourself away from Maas, go back to where her publishing career began. Throne of Glass arrived in 2012, three years before ACOTAR introduced readers to Feyre. It follows Celaena Sardothien, an imprisoned assassin offered a fairly unappealing job opportunity. If she beats a group of thieves, assassins, and other competitors, she'll become the king's champion, serving the ruler she despises in exchange for her eventual freedom. Then competitors start turning up dead, and figuring out what’s happening becomes just as urgent as winning.

Believe it or not, the original inspiration was Cinderella, according to Maas. The story eventually moved away from a direct retelling and grew into a completed eight-book series, including the prequel collection The Assassin's Blade. So if you're looking for another Maas series to occupy your thoughts for several thousand pages, clear some space.

Throne of Glass $10.64 at Amazon
$15.20 Save $4.56   See It at Amazon 6. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

For readers who want more of ACOTAR's sinister fairy-tale atmosphere.

If you miss the creepy woods and unsettling bargains of early ACOTAR, try spending some time with Elspeth Spindle. She has an ancient spirit called the Nightmare living in her head, which is useful when she needs protection and considerably less reassuring when she considers what he wants in return. Joining a quest to cure her kingdom of dark magic puts her alongside a mysterious highwayman, and getting closer to him makes the whole secret-monster-in-her-head situation harder to hide.

SEE ALSO: Target just became the ultimate ACOTAR sanctuary with exclusive merch and late-night book parties

Gillig had some appropriately eerie references in mind when she created the Nightmare: the yew tree from Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls and the creature in Henry Fuseli’s painting The Nightmare. But she wanted Elspeth to have some darkness of her own. As she wrote in a 2022 essay for Fantasy Cafe, she envisioned "a maiden who does not deliver the monster, but becomes one herself."

If that sounds like your kind of fairy tale, there's a manageable commitment ahead: One Dark Window and its sequel, Two Twisted Crowns, make up the completed duology.

One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, 1) $8.99 at Amazon
$18.99 Save $10.00   See It at Amazon 7. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

For readers who want more faerie drama and a prince they can hold a grudge against.

Growing up in Faerie sounds lovely until you're the human everyone looks down on. Jude ended up in this exact situation after a faerie murdered her parents and took her and her sisters home with him. Now she wants to become a knight and secure a place at court, but Prince Cardan and his friends seem determined to make her regret trying. Unfortunately for them, she has no intention of backing off.

Soon, Jude is caught up in spying and a fight over the throne, while her hatred of Cardan develops some...inconvenient complications. If ACOTAR left you wanting more dangerous faeries getting tangled up in each other’s lives, there's plenty of that in The Cruel Prince. Just keep in mind that this is YA: You'll get romantic tension, but don’t expect Nesta and Cassian's approach to resolving it.

Plus, if you like the first book, Jude and Cardan’s main story spans a completed trilogy, so you can go straight into The Wicked King and The Queen of Nothing without waiting for the next installment.

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air Book 1) $2.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon 8. House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

For readers who want more Maas with a change of scenery.

OK, just one more Maas recommendation. House of Earth and Blood is the first book in her Crescent City series, where powerful Fae and ancient grudges coexist with cellphones. Bryce Quinlan is a half-human, half-Fae woman whose life falls apart when a demon murders her closest friends. When similar killings happen again, she teams up with Hunt Athalar, a fallen angel, to find out who's responsible. Working together also gives them time to develop feelings that...complicate the arrangement.

The novel marked her adult debut, though she’d been working on it privately for years alongside ACOTAR and Throne of Glass. There's a whole city of supernatural creatures, power structures, and rules to get acquainted with, but for anyone still attached to Feyre's circle of friends, Bryce's friendships offer a familiar reason to get invested.

House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City Book 1) $9.49 at Amazon
$15.20 Save $5.71   See It at Amazon

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