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Even today, myths remain. Japanese culture maintains that conceiving a child under the northern lights will lead to a life blessed with good fortune. This is great for the tourism industry here. In fact, Trond Øverås, the director of the Visit Tromsø tourism organization, says that winter tourism around the city has increased 271 percent in just four years. It’s now a $39 million industry. That’s thanks in large part to the fact that the organization recently started marketing Tromsø as an ideal winter-vacation destination to see the Northern Lights....

The term human augmentation is a catchall for body enhancements. Whether people are using prosthetics, inserting electronics into their bodies, or taking pills to live longer, they’re augmenting themselves. The impetus for the conference called Human by Design is the release of the latest installment in the franchise Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, which comes out on Tuesday. The gritty cyberpunk role-playing game takes place in a future where people are segregated because of their augmentations....

In conversation with a 14-year-old in England, the alleged conspirator included “a suggestion that a kangaroo could be packed with C4 explosive, painted with the IS [Islamic State] symbol and set loose on police officers. That’s bizarre and absurd, and if that was the entirety of the plot, it would end up as a line-item in a weird news roundup. Sadly, the kangaroo was hardly the only part of his planned attack....

Now, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is aiming to improve public awareness of how these systems work, and their limitations, by issuing ratings to new vehicles that offer partial vehicle autonomy through their onboard Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features. Officially, the industry-accepted term for a vehicle’s ability to help control braking, acceleration, and steering is referred to as “partial automation.” Vehicles that offer this type of assistance employ onboard sensors and software....

But environmental activists shouldn’t rejoice just yet. These announcements are yet another example—such as banning plastic straws, false sustainability claims, and corporate commitments that are far in the future—that seem to be more of a PR exercise than real attempts to move the needle. I’m a professor of engineering and the director of the MIT Center of Transportation and Logistics. As I argue in my book Balancing Green: When to Embrace Sustainability in a Business (And When Not To), announcements of these kinds distract us from legitimate—and more challenging—measures we need to put in place to avoid environmental catastrophe....

But this time around the Hummer EV Pickup is a 1,000-horsepower, 9,200-lb. monster that packs a double-stacked 205-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The incredible power of the Hummer’s triple Ultium electric motors provide a 3.0-second 0-60 mph time, while the computer-controlled air suspension and active shock absorbers lend the Hummer EV an unexpected combination of agility and plush comfort on the road. It achieves this incredible performance while delivering an EPA miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) of 47, which is approximately equal to the 49 mpg EPA rating for the all-wheel-drive version of the hybrid-electric Toyota Prius....

Best overall: Marantz SR6015 Best 4K under $500: Yamaha RX-4VA Best 7.2: Denon AVR-X2700HBest for home theater: Arcam AVR30 Best gaming: Marantz NR1711 Best budget: Sony STRDH590 How we selected the best AV receivers We considered dozens of the best AV receivers and amplifiers for this story and focus on those that offer overall excellence in their price range. We also wanted to present products that excel for specific applications such as gaming or audiophile music listening or multichannel surround sound....

Aromatherapy is an ancient practice that promotes wellness and relaxation through aromas. In fact, studies show inhaling essential oils can help with sleep, and research has also shown that lavender essential oils, in particular, can have relaxing effects on the nervous system. They’re super easy to use: you just fill the reservoir with water, add a few drops of your favorite essential oils, and set the timer. Some diffusers come with soothing ambient lighting, doubling as a nightlight....

Best overall: Seagate Game Drive for PlayStation Consoles 4TBBest value: Western Digital 8TB Elements Desktop Hard DriveBest themed drive: Seagate Horizon Forbidden West Limited Edition Game DriveBest portable: SanDisk 512GB UltraFit USB 3.1 Flash DriveBest high-speed: Samsung T7 Shield 2TB, Portable SSDBest budget: Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB How we picked the best PS5 external hard drives I’ve covered game consoles and computers for publications like TechnoBuffalo, The Tech Report, and GameSpot....

These facial razors made in Japan will make you wonder where they’ve been all your life. They’re slender, and the blade is straight and sharp to ensure a close exfoliation or shave. You can easily grip the handle for a thorough, scratch-resistant shave, or a single spot touch-up. Even if you’re gentle on your skin with this razor, remember to use a toner and moisturize after use. One of the biggest names in razors does, in fact, make a specialty tool designed for some of your most delicate needs....

Best for grade-schoolers: Lenovo Chromebook C340 2-in-1 Convertible LaptopBest for high school students: Microsoft Surface Go 3Best gaming laptop: Acer Nitro 5Best laptop for kids on the go: Google Pixelbook GoBest budget: HP Chromebook 11A G8 Education Edition Best laptops for kids: Reviews & recommendations Whether you’re shopping for an elementary student or a young person soon headed off to college, here are the best laptops for kids, depending on their age or interests....

Despite the technological conveniences of online passwords, bill pay, and ordering, there are too many virtual transactions to keep track of in your head. Personal finance software will help you manage and analyze all your data while keeping your information private, secure, and encrypted. Because let’s face it, don’t we all want a killer credit score? Setting and meeting financial goals, staying on budget, and not stressing about bills is important and it sure does help you sleep better at night....

Babies are easier because they can’t give you any real feedback on first-birthday presents. Once they grow into toddlers, though, you’ve really got to up your gift-giving game. Ultimately, the best birthday gift ideas will differ from kid to kid, but while you’re deciding which way to go, there are several tips that should help you with the process. Most importantly, think safety first. A kid’s birthday gift should be age-appropriate and not pose any threat to their well-being....

You need to choose the correct TV stand for your setup, though. Picking the right size, material, storage solution, and style can all have a serious impact on your ability to enjoy the best seats in your house. This guide will help walk you through the process of choosing the best TV stand for your space whether you’re hoarding set-top boxes or you’re a die-hard minimalist. Best overall: Bestier 63 Modern TV StandBest TV stand with mount: Walker Edison Wren Classic 4 Cubby TV StandBest fireplace TV stand: Ameriwood Home Lumina FireplaceBest TV stand for 75-inch TV (and bigger): Walker Edison Englewood Mid Century Modern 2-DoorBest solid wood TV stand: Simplihome Redmond...

Vacuums can be expensive purchases, so to help you avoid making costly mistakes, here’s our guide to a few things you might want to consider when choosing the best pet vacuum. Best with increased suction power: Kenmore Elite 31140 Pet Friendly Lightweight Bagged Upright Beltless Vacuum Best lightweight stick: Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum CleanerBest tangle-free brush roll: BISSELL ICONpet Cordless with Tangle Free BrushrollBest HEPA filter: Hoover MAXLife Pro Pet Swivel HEPA Media Vacuum CleanerBest robot vacuum: Roborock Robot Vacuum and MopBest budget: Shark ZU561 Navigator Lift-Away Speed Self Cleaning Brushroll Lightweight Upright Vacuum with HEPA Filter...

Best waterproof: JBL x UA True Wireless Flash in-Ear Sport HeadphonesBest battery life: Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro True Wireless EarbudsBest lightweight: Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling EarbudsBest-fitting: Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus True Wireless EarphonesBest around-the-ear: Powerbeats Pro Wireless EarphonesBest for work: Jabra Evolve 65T True Wireless Professional UC HeadsetBest budget: TOZO T6 True Wireless Earbuds While traditional headband-based and corded designs are some of the best headphones stationery settings like recording studios and offices, wireless earbuds are the indisputable winner when it comes to complementing activities that require listener movement like routine exercise and public transit commuting....

Bitcoin, which makes up about 40 percent of the crypto market and is often compared to “digital gold,” is particularly energy-hungry due to the computationally intensive “mining” process by which new coins are created. The environmental cost of Bitcoin is similar to the costs of crude oil or beef, research published Thursday in Scientific Reports calculates. Of all the commodities considered in the new study, only coal had a higher environmental cost relative to market value than Bitcoin....

Paleontologists finally got their hands on the slabs in 2016, when they were moved to the University of São Paulo. After five years of examinations, they can now confirm what’s concealed inside: a nearly complete skeleton of a Tupandactylus navigans, a type of pterosaur (related to but distinct from dinosaurs) from the early Cretaceous period more than 100 million years ago. T. navigans is a tapejarid, a group of flying reptiles with large, distinctive crests on their heads....

This week’s announcement at Boeing’s Chicago headquarters of the company’s plan to halt 737 Max production in January 2020 was not much of a surprise to anyone. Despite the troubled airplane’s grounding in March 2019, America’s top manufacturing exporter continued building 42 airframes each month, creating a backlog of more than 400 finished airplanes waiting to be delivered. Boeing’s costs for the tens of thousands of parts used to create each airplane represent hundreds of millions of dollars for which the manufacturer has yet to be paid because those aircraft were never delivered....