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Julia Louis-Dreyfus' interview with Stephen Colbert may start with a kiss, but the gloves quickly come off.

In the clip above, the Veep star surprises the Late Show host with two pages of roast jokes written by the Veep writers, which she performs in character as Selina Meyer while Colbert cracks up.

The one that makes him laugh the most? "When my people said I should come and say farewell to you I was hoping it would be more of a hospice-type situation."

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Cooling your home can be expensive, even with a modern and efficient air conditioning system. If you want to save money, you should aim to prevent your home from getting too hot in the first place.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you frequent your local deli.

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 May 13, 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: Deli order

• Green: Reason

• Blue: iPhone features

• Purple: Jam

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Long sandwich

• Green: Pretext

• Blue: Smartphone photo editing options

• Purple: Jelly ___

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 #1067 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Long sandwich: GRINDER, HERO, HOAGIE, SUB

• Pretext: ARGUMENT, BASIS, CAUSE, GROUNDS

• Smartphone photo editing options: ADJUST, CROP, FILTERS, MARKUP

• Jelly ___: BEAN, BELLY, DONUT, ROLL

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 13, 2026

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 yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're courageous.

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 May 13, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: You've got...

The words are related to determination.

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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe courage.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is What It Takes.

NYT Strands word list for May 13

• Nerve

• Spunk

• Gumption

• What It Takes

• Pluck

• Grit

• Fiber

• Heart

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 yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you don't keep up with the latest trends.

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 May 13, 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for May 13, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Drab.

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Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter D appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

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...

DOWDY

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.

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

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

Artificial Intelligence has been the talk of the town for years now. At first, people tried to ignore it as simply a corporate buzzword, but its prevalence in our daily lives continues to grow, whether we like it or not.

SAVE OVER $700: As of May 13, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $449 at Amazon, a return to its lowest-ever price at the retailer.

Opens in a new window Credit: ECOVACS Ecovacs Deebot T30S Robot Vacuum and Mop $449 at Amazon
$1,199.99 Save $750.99   Get Deal

Does your home have a combination of hard and carpeted surfaces that need constant cleaning? If you're in need of a little assistance to tackle never-ending stains, dirt, and pet hair, a robot vacuum can help. The Ecovacs Deebot T30S is one model that vacuums and mops, making it a powerful option to tackle your floors.

This robot vacuum usually comes with a hefty price tag of $1,199.99, but Amazon has slashed 63% off the Ecovacs Deebot T30S's full price, dropping it down to a much more reasonable $449. This marks a return to its lowest-ever price at the retailer, making now an excellent time to buy.

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Whether you have pets that shed or dirt that keeps getting tracked through your home from outside activities this spring, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S features powerful 11,000Pa suction to clear it all up. There's no need to worry about hair getting caught up in the vacuum, as it also comes with ZeroTangle technology that keeps the brush free of hair so it can keep cleaning without interruption.

When it comes to mopping, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S can clear up stains on your harder surfaces, whether they're in the middle of your floors or even along edges and in corners thanks to its TruEdge technology. This helpful cleaner is also equipped with obstacle avoidance technology called TrueDetect 3D 3.0, which ensures its cleaning routine isn't slowed down by anything in its way.

If it sounds like the kind of robot vacuum you've been searching for, act fast to take advantage of this great deal on the Ecovacs Deebot T30S at Amazon.

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Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that when it comes to negotiating a deal with Iran, "I don't think about Americans' financial situations. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon."

It's the start of that statement that Seth Meyers unpacks in his Late Night segment "A Closer Look," with the host examining the president's priorities.

"Trump's entire campaign was premised on improving Americans' financial situations, and now he's admitting he's not even thinking about it," said Meyers.

Though Trump may shrug off the numbers of America's affordability crisis, inflation spiked to 3.8 percent in April due to the U.S.-Iran war. A May 2026 CNN poll found that 70 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump's economy, while a further 77 percent (with a Republican majority) said Trump’s policies have worsened their cost of living.

“Seriously, 77 percent is impressive. It’s rare to get Americans to agree on anything, let alone politics," said Meyers. "I don’t even think we could get 77 percent of Americans to agree that pineapple on pizza is disgusting, which it is. Here’s how disgusting it is: even Pizza Rat wouldn’t touch it. Although in fairness, Pizza Rat is actually very discerning — he was a guest judge on the new season of Top Chef. I'm just kidding, Pizza Rat’s dead."

Elsewhere, Stephen Colbert also shared his thoughts on Trump's recent comments.

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SAVE $50: As of May 13, the Samsung 55-Inch Class Crystal TV is on sale for $297.99 at Amazon. That's a 14% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 55-Inch Class Crystal TV $297.99 at Amazon
$347.99 Save $50   Get Deal

If you're shopping around for a new TV in time for the World Cup, an impressive new deal has just dropped at Amazon. As of May 13, the Samsung 55-Inch Class Crystal TV has dropped to its lowest-ever price. Normally $347.99, it's now priced at $297.99 — saving you $50.

This TV has incredible image quality, with features like 3D color mapping and 4K upscaling to improve what you're watching, so colors and lower-resolution content are much clearer and closer to 4K. There's also the Motion Xcelerator feature which works by estimating movement between frames and smoothing it out, helping to deliver clearer motion and a more fluid picture.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile just dropped the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to claim

And there's no need to worry about your personal data. This TV keeps everything secure with Samsung Knox Security which helps block harmful apps and phishing sites as well as protecting information like passwords or PINs.

Design-wise, it uses a slim bezel and a single metal sheet construction with an aircraft-inspired look. It also includes access to over 2,700 free channels through Samsung TV Plus, and you'll also be able to access major streaming apps like Netflix and Prime Video without fuss.

Get this Samsung TV deal at Amazon now.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 (G51F) QHD gaming monitor on sale for $159.99, down from its $249.99 list price. That saves you $90 on a 1440p gaming display.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 (G51F) Gaming Monitor $159.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $90 Get Deal

If you’ve been holding off on upgrading your gaming setup from standard HD, Amazon has provided a tempting offer to finally make the jump to QHD. 

As of May 13, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 (G51F) QHD gaming monitor is on sale for $159.99 at Amazon, marked down from its $249.99 list price. That makes it 36% off. This is the lowest price this monitor has ever been at Amazon (confirmed using price tracker camelcamelcamel).

For this new low price, this Odyssey G5 gives you a 27-inch QHD display with 2560x1440 resolution, which Samsung says packs 1.7 times the pixel density of Full HD. That should give games a sharper look — covering anything you’re playing, like multiplayers in the realm of Fortnite or new single-player adventures like 007 First Light. 

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The more time you spend gaming, the more the speed of this particular model stands out. The 180Hz refresh rate is built for smoother gameplay than a standard 60Hz or 75Hz displays (great for high-speed titles like Overwatch and Marvel Rivals), while the 1ms MPRT response time should help keep inputs feeling quick when a match suddenly gets hectic. AMD FreeSync is included as well, helping reduce screen tearing and choppiness.

To round out the G51F monitor, Samsung has added some luxury PC extras, like HDR10 for brighter highlights and deeper shadows, plus Black Equalizer for spotting enemies in darker areas. There’s also Virtual Aim Point and Auto Source Switch+ to give you an even bigger edge — while the ergonomic stand supports tilt, pivot, and height adjustments.

If you’ve got the budget for a model that’s bigger and even flashier, LG’s 39-inch OLED and curved UltraGear monitor is now only $749.99. Elsewhere, the 4K ASUS ROG Swift is $200 off. 

TL;DR: As of May 13, the Anker Solix F3800 portable power station with a 400W Solar Panel is on sale for just $1,999.99 on Amazon. That's 50% off its $3,999 list price and its lowest price to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station + 400W Solar Panel $1,999.99 at Amazon
$3,999 Save $1,999.01   Get Deal

Need a heavy-duty portable power station on hand in case of emergencies? The beefy Anker Solix F3800 comes highly recommended by expert reviewers as a reliable option for whole home backup. (It's also capable of charging electric vehicles.) Better yet, you can snag it on sale for a record-low price when you bundle it with a free solar panel.

Amazon currently has the Solix F3800 with a 400W solar panel marked down to just $1,999.99. I say "just" because it usually sells for a whopping $3,999, so you're saving 50% (or roughly $2,000) on top of getting a freebie.

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This is an all-time-low price on the package deal according to the Amazon price tracker camelcamelcamel. It's only been this cheap once before before in mid-April.

If you don't need the solar panel, the standalone Solix F3800 is now discounted to $1,799.99 on Amazon — another historical low. (Amazon's list price is very deflated, FYI. The Solix F3800 retails for $3,999 on its own, not $1,999.99, so that works out to a 55% savings.)

Just hit the Anker Solix F3800's 240V power switch twice to activate its EV charging mode. Credit: Anker

Our sister site CNET tested the Solix F3800 back in 2024 and gave it a stellar 9/10 score for its myriad output options and massive capacity. It starts at 3,840Wh, but you can bump that to 26,880kWh by adding up to six expansion batteries, or even 53,760kWh with a second unit.

Reviewer and former CNET Labs Manager Steve Conaway said his absolute favorite thing about the Solix F3800 "is its ability to output not only normal 120-volt receptacles, but also split-phase 240 volts in the same single unit." That's enough juice to power large appliances like ovens and dryers, or charge up an electric vehicle. Plus, you don't need a combo box or transfer switch to get all that power, as you would on alternatives.

Conaway notes that the Solix F3800 is heavy, but at least it's wheeled.

If you haul the Solix F3800 off-grid — it's great for RVs — you'll be able to charge it with the 400W solar panel. Its waterproof design can be angled four different ways.

Disclosure: CNET and Mashable are both owned by Ziff Davis.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Spider-Man Gift Bundle is on sale for $73.31, knocking $16.68 off its $89.99 list price. That’s below TCGplayer’s $75.49 listing, making Amazon the best place to buy right now.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Marvel's Spider-Man Gift Bundle $73.31 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $16.68   Get Deal

Amazon is usually trailing behind other retailers when it comes to trading card deals, but this time, it’s leading the pack on one of the coolest products in MTG’s Spider-Man expansion. 

As of May 13, Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Spider-Man Gift Bundle listed for $73.31 with free delivery, down from its $89.99 list price. That works out to a 19% discount and over $15 off. If stock sells out and you need a backup, TCGplayer has the Marvel Spider-Man Gift Bundle listed as low as $75.49, with a listed median of $96.14 and a market price of $73.81.

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Inside the box, you get nine Play Boosters, one Collector Booster, one traditional foil alternate-art promo card, 30 basic lands split between foil, non-foil, and full-art versions, an oversized Spindown life counter, a foil card storage box, and two reference cards. In other words, it’s more than just a few packs in a shiny box.

The Spider-Man set brings Marvel’s web-head into Magic with heroes, villains, Spider-Verse flavor, and comic-book-style treatments that are built for collectors. 

For other Magic: The Gathering deals, you can also grab a Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box for $119.95. Meanwhile, you can also score a MTG Play Booster Box of the new Strixhaven expansion for under $140.

If you’re a Pokémon TCG fan, the newly-announced Pitch Black expansion is available to pre-order at TCGplayer.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

SAVE $100: As of May 13, the 13-inch MacBook Air M5 is on sale for $999 at Amazon. That's a $100 discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M5 $999 at Amazon
$1,099 Save $100   Get Deal

The new 13-inch MacBook Air M5 is still on sale at Amazon. If you're looking for a great laptop, you can't go wrong with this model. In fact, the 15-inch M4 model tops our list of the best laptops for 2026, so you just know the upgrade delivers where it counts.

As of May 13, this new release is down by $100, now priced at $999. This price is available for three of the four colors: midnight, sky blue, and silver. We've seen this model down to $949 recently, so is this the start of a price climb ahead of Prime Day? We hope not, but it's the sort of thing that Amazon likes to do.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile just dropped the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to claim

The MacBook Air with the M5 chip is a lightweight laptop that's ideal for everyday work and creative tasks. It benefits from features like Apple Intelligence and has SSD storage starting at 512GB. Plus, the new M5 chip gives you a faster CPU, unified memory, a Neural Engine, and a next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators for AI-assisted tasks.

The battery life is strong, promising to last up to 18 hours. It also includes a 12MP Center Stage camera for video calls, a three-microphone array, and a four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support.

You can find this Apple deal at Amazon right now.

If ever you find yourself wondering whether or not Donald Trump thinks about the average American when he makes his decisions, just ask him yourself. Apparently he's happy to give an honest answer.

In the Late Show clip above, Stephen Colbert plays footage of the president telling a reporter: “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situations. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon."

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"Honestly, there's not a whole lot going on upstairs," growls Colbert, in trademark Trump impression mode. "Most of the time I'm thinking about that little monkey playing the symbols. Either that or boobs, OK? Sometimes monkey boobs. Monkey see, monkey boob. Sometimes, this is just me, I'm thinking about sea monkey boobs."

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SAVE $300: As of May 13, the Samsung Galaxy S25+ is on sale for $699.99 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S25+ $699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300   Get Deal

The Samsung Galaxy S25+ has gone on sale at Amazon, but it's not just any discount. It has now dropped to its lowest-ever price, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel.

Normally $999.99, you can save $300 with the new price of $699.99 at Amazon. This price is for the navy colored phone with 256GB of storage.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile just dropped the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to claim

The Samsung Galaxy S25+ is a seriously impressive smartphone with lots of AI-powered features. It's designed to handle multiple tasks with just a single request.

It also includes a feature called Now Brief, which gives you updates and information throughout the day. Even the camera benefits from AI, with features like Audio Eraser for reducing background noise in videos and support for low-light video recording. The portrait features also help, and are designed to adjust skin tones and preserve natural textures in photos.

And it all runs on Samsung’s latest processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, so you can use features such as call translation, video editing, and photo editing directly on the device.

Head to Amazon to grab this limited-time deal.

SAVE $70: As of May 13, the Anker 3-in-1 charger is on sale for $159.99 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker 3-in-1 Charging Station $159.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $70   Get Deal

If you're an Apple user, chances are you've got more than one device on the go. And if they're devices that need regular charging like your iPhone, AirPods, or Apple Watch, you’ve probably got cables running all over the place.

If you're tired of the clutter, we've found a product you'll love. Meet the Anker 3-in-1 charger: This handy device charges your Apple gadgets in one little desk-friendly product. As of May 13, it's on sale for a new low price. Normally $229.99, you can save $70 with the new price of $159.99.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile just dropped the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to claim

The 3-in-1 wireless charging station supports up to 25W wireless charging and can charge an iPhone 17 Pro to 50% in around 22 minutes using its AirCool cooling technology. The cooling system is designed to help keep your phone below 89°F during charging, which can help to reduce any wear on the long term health of your battery.

It also has a built-in 1.65-inch HD display to show the charging status, temperature, power information, and safety alerts, and there are options to customize the screen. And there are three different charging modes: Boost Mode for faster charging with cooling, Ice Mode for maximum cooling while charging during use, and Sleep Mode, which disables cooling and dims the display for quiet overnight charging.

Find this Anker deal at Amazon now.

SAVE OVER $100: As of May 13, the Holy Stone HS600 drone is on sale for $299.98 at Amazon. This is $100.01 off its full price of $399.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Holy Stone Holy Stone HS600 $299.98 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $100.01   Get Deal

Whether you're a creator or someone looking for a new hobby, drones are serious game-changers.

With summer right around the corner, the timing couldn't be better to explore the sunny skies. For those interested in investing, Amazon has a few models on sale at the moment, including the Holy Stone HS600 drone.

As of May 13, the Holy Stone HS600 has dropped to $299.98 at Amazon for a limited time, which is just over $100 off its full price of $399.99. Considering it can capture 4K/30FPS video and comes with everything you need to get started — a transmitter, drone battery, blade, and a bag — that sale price is well worth considering.

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That 4K quality camera helps ensure whatever scenes you capture look crisp and clear, but the Holy Stone HS600 also comes with a dual-axis gimbal, EIS stabilization, and brushless motors that help keep the drone stable while it records. It features up to six levels of wind resistance, which helpfully prevents any shaky-cam results while you're up in the skies.

The Holy Stone HS600 also has a cool Auto Return Home function, which automatically sends the drone back to its initial takeoff point when you're ready to pack up. With this, you can always be confident about keeping it safe and have no worries about losing it during the action, no matter how far from home you fly it.

Don't miss out on this excellent deal on the Holy Stone HS600 drone at Amazon.

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Do robot vacuums work well on carpet?

Yes, several top robot vacuums that I've tested do a pretty phenomenal job on carpets and rugs. I'd ultimately recommend a cordless stick vacuum over a robot vacuum if you're serious about deep cleaning carpeted rooms. But if you don't have the time or motivation to keep up with manual vacuuming, there are a few deciding factors that make a robotic vacuum effective on soft floors with stubborn fibers.

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Suction power is, of course, the most important stat in determining the best robot vacuums for carpet. Most robot vacuum brands measure suction power in Pascals, though iRobot and Shark are weird about disclosing Pascals sometimes. When suction power in Pascals (Pa) is advertised, you'll ideally want to hit at least 8,000 Pa for sufficient carpet cleaning, and will almost definitely be underwhelmed with anything lower than 5,000 Pa. For reference, robot vacuums at the premium end of the spectrum clock between 18,000 and 35,000 Pa.

SEE ALSO: 'Why does my robot vacuum suck now?' Well, when's the last time you cleaned it?

But beefy suction power needs to be aided by competent brush roll systems — a dual brush roll design is your best chance when it comes to pet hair pickup. These are designed to dig into carpet pile and physically pinch hair and large chunks, while the suction power itself inhales finer dust and powder that a weaker robot vac would pass right over.

If fine dust on hard floors is one of your non-negotiables when it comes to tidying, a robot vacuum that can mop should be a priority. Luckily, the most powerful robot vacuums on carpet are typically the best mopping robot vacuums, too.

Recent changes to this guide

May 2026: I swapped the aging Eufy X10 Pro Omni for its much more powerful sibling, the 2026 Eufy C28.

February 2026: The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete takes over as the most powerful robot vacuum, beating the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller by 5,000 Pa suction power. Due to the X60 Max Ultra Complete's meticulous corner cleaning and market-leading suction power, the Roborock Saros 10R has been removed from the list.

September 2025: I added the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller as the best robot vacuum right now and shifted the Roborock Saros 10R (previously named the best robot vacuum right now) to the option for best corner cleaning.

July 2025: I removed the Shark Matrix RV2300S robot vacuum from this guide. While it was a solid budget mopping robot vacuum for its first year or so on the market, it's now a little bit too basic compared to other newer budget robot vacuums.

June 2025: I replaced the Shark Matrix RV2300S with the 3i G10+ as the best budget robot vacuum for pet hair. While the Shark was a solid budget cleaner when it first came out, its suction power isn't nearly as strong as the 18,500 Pa of the 3i G10+. The 3i G10+ also has small obstacle avoidance and a pet camera.

As you can probably tell by the invitations plastering your fridge, it's officially high school graduation season. Admittedly, it's tricky to find a graduation party gift that matches the energy of such a transitionary period.

Our best grad gift advice? Don't force something unique or oddly specific and personalized just for the sake of avoiding a "boring" gift. If you know them well enough, sure, take the fun or sentimental route. But a high school grad will be just as pumped to receive something practical like elevated dorm essentials, mostly because it means that they won't have to spend their own money on it. Think of gifting the high-quality basics as acknowledging their maturity — like, "You deserve the nice adult version of this item."

A widely-usable gift card or straight-up cash is an automatic home run, of course. But if you'd prefer to wrap something, we carefully curated a list of the best useful high school graduation gift ideas in 2026: Some fun gifts, some practical gifts, and some budget-friendly gifts, but all gifts a teenager will definitely be glad they have.

SEE ALSO: 60+ gifts for Dad that he won't have to pretend to like

Two rovers have had big breaks over the past few years in the case of whether Mars ever hosted life. 

Curiosity, which is exploring Gale Crater, conducted a chemistry experiment on a rock sample that revealed complex carbon compounds. Perseverance, about 2,300 miles away at Jezero Crater, found fossilized material that an ancient alien microorganism could have excreted. 

Despite the compelling leads, NASA doesn't know whether ancient living things produced these organic molecules or if some other process, such as chemical reactions between rock and water, did. Because of instrument limitations, it's doubtful the U.S. space agency will ever be able to rule that possibility out, unless the samples come back to Earth.

"This finding by our incredible Perseverance rover is the closest we've actually come to discovering ancient life on Mars," said Nicky Fox, NASA's associate administrator for science, last year.

But a team of scientists has suggested a new way to look at samples that could help close the gap of ambiguity. The idea is surprisingly simple: Rather than try to look for specific molecules in a sample, study the overall pattern of chemicals within it. 

The researchers compared samples from living organisms, fossils, ocean sediments, meteorites, asteroid material, and lab experiments that simulated early-Earth or space chemistry. They specifically homed in on amino acids, which build proteins, and fatty acids, which contribute to cell membranes. They found that life organizes chemicals differently.

SEE ALSO: Hubble finds something about the Milky Way's core just doesn't add up

It turns out a strong statistical divide exists between biological and nonbiological samples, according to a new study. The results are published in Nature Astronomy. Though looking for molecular diversity in a sample is not a silver bullet for detecting aliens, it could offer one more strong piece of evidence to weigh in the balance. 

"Astrobiology is fundamentally a forensic science," said Gideon Yoffe, lead author of the paper and a researcher at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, in a statement. "We’re trying to infer processes from incomplete clues, often with very limited data collected by missions that are extraordinarily expensive and infrequent."

In the study, amino acids from biological samples usually contained a wider and more balanced and organized mix of compounds because cells actively make many compounds for specific jobs. Abiotic samples — specimens formed without life — tended to look sparse, with a few simple amino acids dominating the mixture. Some contaminated meteorites shifted closer to the biological group, indicating that biology changes chemical patterns in recognizable ways.

The researchers also found samples that leaned in the other direction. Biological samples that had suffered heavy damage from heat, radiation, or age started to resemble nonliving chemistry because they lost molecular diversity over time. Ancient rocks, fluids from hydrothermal vents, and some fossils all showed signs of this deterioration.

Scientists wondered whether radiation could erase the biological signal. They simulated conditions in the icy surface layers of Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, and found that the diversity pattern often survived, even after substantial chemical damage.

Fatty acids, on the other hand, showed the opposite trend but still clearly distinguished life from non-life. Because living cells rely on a narrower set of fatty acids for membranes, the biological samples appeared less evenly distributed. Nonliving chemistry produced broader, more uniform mixtures, according to the study.

Hannah McLain works at Goddard Space Flight Center's Astrobiology Lab, where samples of asteroid Bennu are studied. Credit: NASA / Vivian Renkey

The statistical strategy could improve current space missions designed to perform chemical analyses and some life-detection tests. Scientists often search for unusual isotope ratios or molecular "handedness," but those signals can fade over time and require sensitive instruments. 

Curiosity or Perseverance could potentially do this kind of statistical test if ever the rovers were to detect a broad suite of related organic compounds and measure the reliable relative amounts of those different molecules, said Fabian Klenner, a UC Riverside assistant professor of planetary sciences and coauthor on the paper. The current limitation isn't that the rovers are incapable of analyzing molecular diversity, but that they need a sample rich and varied enough in organic data. 

The technique might be especially useful for NASA's eight-rotor Dragonfly aircraft, which is expected to explore Titan, an icy moon of Saturn, in the mid-2030s. The aircraft will have a mass spectrometer device designed to analyze and characterize organic molecules. 

"Dragonfly is another interesting case," Klenner told Mashable. "If it can resolve organic molecules and their relative abundances, then I would love to see our diversity approach applied to the data."