Black Myth: Wukong encourages players to continuously hunt for the best armor and equipment as they face challenging difficulty spikes and formidable bosses at every corner.

As video games have become more advanced, developers around the world have been able to create experiences that are more than just jaggy polygons and strong gameplay loops.

Moore to the Point - Motivated Voters

Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge The first bits of Apple Intelligence are starting to show up on people’s phones. The features in iOS 18.1 are fairly basic: summarizing messages, writing emails, that kind of thing. Apple is already letting developers play with iOS 18.2, though, which looks like a much more substantial update. Meanwhile, the company is about to launch a bunch of new M4-powered and AI-focused Macs, and launched the iPad Mini this week. It’s a lot happening all at once, and it’s a lot to make sense of. On this episode of The Vergecast, we try and make sense of it. The Verge’s Richard Lawler joins us as we talk through the small changes in 18.1 and the much bigger changes in 18.2, debate whether Tim Cook can really use every Apple product every day, and... Continue reading…

Image: Amazon MGM Studios Like a Dragon proves that a quality adaptation doesn’t always have to be a faithful one. Continue reading…

In this engaging podcast episode, Dr. Robert Barratt, a research scientist at Queen’s University in Belfast, discusses his innovative application of computer code to investigate the astronomical alignments of Neolithic structures. Dr. Barratt converted the tables from Astronomical Algorithms into functional code, using them to generate precise 3D simulations of ancient temples and circles. His work demonstrates the power of integrating computer science with archaeology, offering novel insights into how prehistoric societies may have aligned their monuments with celestial phenomena. Fig 01: Episode graphic. Courtesy of the author. The episode delves into the challenges of working with complex data sets and how compounding variables can hinder the interpretation of astronomical alignments. Dr. Barratt emphasizes that assumptions in archaeoastronomy need to align with the material culture of the site. This alignment is not merely theoretical but essential for grounding astronomical hypotheses in archaeological reality. Without this connection, interpretations can easily veer into speculative territory, leading researchers astray from the actual intentions behind these ancient constructions. For Barratt, ensuring this methodological rigor is as much about mathematical precision as it is about archaeological sensitivity. Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient WritingsNewsHistory & ArchaeologyScience & SpaceHuman OriginsScienceReligionsFolkloreMyths & LegendsAncient PlacesHistoryAncient TraditionsPremiumPreviewRead Later 

An Oregon school district has asked Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to remove two campaign ads featuring transgender athletes because they include a photo of two minor girls who are not transgender, The Hill reported Thursday.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump goaded Democrat Kamala Harris as the only candidate he's ever known to campaign on raising taxes.

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are in a tie of 48% each for the popular vote, The New York Times/Siena College final national poll for this election season revealed Friday. The numbers do not bode well for Harris, considering Democrat...

Moves by major U.S. fast-food chains to temporarily scrub fresh onions off their menus on Thursday, after the vegetable was named as the likely source of an E. coli outbreak at McDonald's, laid bare the recurring nightmare for restaurants: Produce is a bigger problem for...