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The EQS line represents the company’s opening volley in the full-size luxury EV segment, and it’s clear from the posh amenities and the array of technologies onboard our test car that the company is taking this small-but-growing segment seriously. And as the game plan in the car-making business typically goes, the stuff onboard today’s flagship will make its way into more accessible vehicles as time goes on. For example, new iterations of the S-Class have often foreshadowed what’s coming for brand’s E-Class and C-Class vehicles down the road, and in the case of the EQS, it previews some of the hardware that we can expect to see in the less expensive models that are on the way....

According to Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Mexico’s state-owned oil company, the fire was due to a gas pipeline rupture close to its Ku-Maloob-Zaap oil drilling fields, and was brought under control using water pumps and hoses after about five hours. Reuters reports that the company also used nitrogen to fight the flames. Ángel Carrizales, executive director of Mexico’s oil safety regulatory agency, tweeted that the incident “related to a gas line” did not “generate any spill,” however experts are skeptical of the claim....

NASA released the classic photograph back in 1995, which captured the 5-light-year-tall structure in visible light. All of that energy-packed gas makes the area an active star-forming region—a stellar nursery, hence its name. Now, NASA just revealed a new view of the Pillars of Creation. By using infrared light to craft the image instead of visible light, scientists identified baby stars that were hidden behind the gaseous, spectral columns. Though newborn stars sound pretty cute and harmless, this squad of stellar babies will one day erase the Pillars of Creation from our skies....

The mayor of the region is quoted in the article as saying there has been “scientific interest”—presumably from geneticists—in exploring what has led to this unusual sequence. He also discusses some glaringly unscientific advice the town has been given on how to conceive boys, ranging from changing mothers’ diets to “keeping an ax(e) under your marital bed.” But the most prosaic suggestion mentioned in the article is also by far the most likely—that it’s just a statistical coincidence....

Given the weak differentiation between human populations, those who continue to champion the notion that genomic foundations to racial differences in intelligence must exist are left with a huge elephant in the living room. Why and how should such differences exist? The key adaptation of our species is its greater intelligence compared to other animals. Our evolutionary lineage was characterized by increased brain size and complexity along with facial reduction....

Read up full list of Prime Day deals here When is Prime Day 2021? When does Prime Day end? Best home fitness: NordicTrack T Series Treadmill—Now $468 (was $649) Get a great workout from the comfort of your home with this Nordic T Series treadmill. With 10 mph capacity, incline control, Bluetooth connectivity, and a SMART-Response motor for endurance training, this pick is equipped for any kind of runner. The FlexSelect cushioning on the belt provides support for your joints, so you can run or walk further with no discomfort....

Over on its Tumblr page, AMNH has posted a series of texts between Titanosaur and the museum’s other giant specimen: Blue Whale. “Separated by 3 floors of the Museum, how do these pals stay in touch? They text, of course!” AMNH writes. A nice blend of fact and fiction, you get to know a little more about this giant dino through its texting habits. Titanosaur is adorably naive sometimes, not knowing that it’s way too big to take the subway or ride a CitiBike....

Art-deco icon Airstream has a new concept camper, one that’s designed to head off multiple problems. The 22-foot eStream camper concept features a built-in 80-kilowatt-hour battery pack and dual 40-horsepower (30 kW) electric motors that let the trailer pull its own weight en route to the great outdoors. The thinking is that electric pickup trucks like the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning will need trailers that power themselves, because otherwise the trucks’ driving range would be decimated while towing trailers....

Follow all of PopSci’s COVID-19 coverage here, including travel advice, pregnancy concerns, and the latest findings on the virus itself. Self-quarantine as a single person or a person who lives far from their significant other can be pretty lonely, especially while other folks spend their work-from-home hours snuggled up with the person they love. Still, it can be unnerving to be so close to someone who might’ve bumped into COVID-19 in the outside world....

This year, the discovery that made all this speedy data-sharing possible turns 50. In 1970, a group of scientists working at glass manufacturer Corning came up a method to make pure silica glass, allowing signals—emails, websites, Fortnite sessions—to traverse the 125 micron-thick strands as pulses of laser light with unprecedented efficiency. The messages travel long distances far faster and more cost effectively than similar pings over copper wires, which underpin conventional landline phones and cable hookups....

But if you want to bring that voice-only style to posts on more traditional platforms like TikTok and Instagram, you’ll need to pair it with a video. This usually requires skill and access to video editing tools, but if you have an Android, Google just made things a little easier for you. The operating system’s native Recorder app now features a tool that will turn audio into perfect social media-ready video—soundwave and subtitles included....

This week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a new study suggests that long-duration spaceflight can impair an astronaut’s vision. The sight condition, called spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome or SANS, was found to be associated with the volume of the fluid-filled spaces that surround blood vessels in the brain. The condition can cause astronauts to experience blurry vision and nausea. Giuseppe Barisano, lead author and neuroscience researcher at the University of Southern California, partnered with an international team of scientists to investigate how an astronaut’s brain changes in space....

“We need national and international efforts to halt climate change,” says Stephen Kearney, a PhD student at the University of Queensland and the Australian Mammal Society’s communications director. “If we do not, these events will be the new normal, and the consequences of this for Australian species will be catastrophic.” The Australian government has been criticized for a slow and under-funded response to the fires. Rolling protests are planned against Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the leader of the country’s right-leaning Liberal Party, and his government....

If you eat moderate amounts of bacon, probably nothing. Immediately following the news, Cancer Research UK posted an article which explains what the IARC groups mean, and what you can do to lower your risk. You can read that here.

Best overall: DieHard Platinum AGMBest green/most sustainable: Antigravity Lithium BatteriesBest hot weather: Odyssey Extreme Best cold weather: Optima Red TopBest budget: EverStart How we chose the best car batteries When it comes to car batteries there have been improvements over the years but, overall, they’ve stayed relatively uniform in form and function. Not all are created equally, however, and the pricing reflects that. Or, if you’re like me, and you’ve had to break out the jumper cables again for the same project car, then the time to replace that car battery (and maybe fix some other problems) is now, which is why I assembled options to cover a wide range of use cases....

Best overall: BHY 320 CFM 150 MPH Battery Leaf Blower with 4.0Ah Battery & ChargeBest with trimmer: WORX 20V GT Revolution 12″ WG930.2Best with vacuum: BLACK+DECKER 40V Leaf Blower/Leaf Vacuum KitBest lightweight: Somorei YS-710Best small: Abeden Cordless Leaf BlowerBest budget: Expansion Wellness Leaf Blower How we selected the best cordless leaf blowers Naturally, there are countless cordless leaf blowers to choose from, but not every one of them will suit your individual needs....

Best overall: Vornado Pivot Personal Air Circulator FanBest retro: Vornado VFAN Vintage Whole Room Air Circulator FanBest compact: Vornado 133 Compact Air Circulator FanBest whisper-quiet: Rechargeable Small Oscillating Desk FanBest budget: Gaiatop USB Desk Fan How we picked the best desk fans Choosing the right desk fan for your setup really depends on your own needs and personal tastes. For this list, we picked some models that work for just about anyone and others geared toward specific users....

We rely on expensive computer programs to edit photos and video, deal with office work, and protect our computers from malware. But they’re not our only options. Often, commercial studios will offer the most basic versions of their products free of charge. In other cases, volunteers who believe that software should be free will develop open-source alternatives. Between them, you can find free programs to cover just about any computing task....

They come in a variety of forms. Microwaveable slippers can be nuked right up to a comfortable lounging temperature. Some heated slippers warm up in the same way as heated socks, using a battery-operated module. Another type of electric foot warmer uses an internal heating pad that you power up via a USB cable. Once the slippers have reached a full charge, you can unplug them and start walking—or lounging—for hours....

If your home office has space requirements and you don’t have a lot of room on your desk, think about a printer that will make sense for the size of the room. Wireless printers will give you increased flexibility, as they can be placed anywhere within range and used by multiple members of the family on different devices. You’ll also want to consider whether you want an inkjet printer or a laser printer when making your purchase....