News December 24, 2024
This solid aluminum keyboard costs as much as a MacBook Pro
The Icebreaker is a mechanical keyboard from Serene Industries that features a wedge-shaped design and hot-swappable aluminum keycaps with RGB backlighting. It comes in two colors and starts at $1,500 for the wired version with magnetic hall effect switches. The keyboard has a 65% layout and measures 450 x 44 x 24mm, weighs around 17.7 grams, and has a battery life of three months. It also features premium features like micro-perforations on each keycap for the LED backlight to shine through, and 1/4-20 inch mounting points for accessories.
NASA spacecraft just plunged into the sun and broke stunning records
The Parker Solar Probe made a historic flyby of the sun on Christmas Eve in 2024, coming within seven times the distance of any other spacecraft to our star. The mission is designed to study the sun’s behavior and understand its impact on Earth. The probe flew into the sun’s corona, which spawns many powerful solar storms and weather that affect Earth. This record-breaking pass was made possible by a robust heat shield that protects the spacecraft from intense solar radiation. The instruments on board the probe are designed to operate at round room temperature, despite being in the extreme conditions of the corona. The mission is expected to provide valuable insights into the sun’s behavior and help scientists better forecast when and where powerful CMEs or solar flares may hit Earth.
People With Extreme Wealth Should Give It Away—or Be Penalized
In 2024, there was a significant increase in wealth concentration, with more billionaires and an aggregate worth of $14.2 trillion. This trend is expected to continue unabated. Discontentment over the consequences of extreme wealth inequality is growing among politicians and activists, with some calling for a new global “billionaire tax” to address the issue. Additionally, millionaires themselves are increasingly mobilizing and putting pressure on political leaders to address this problem.
The best VPN services of 2024, tested and reviewed
In conclusion, there are several factors to consider when choosing a VPN service, including the number of servers available, encryption type, protocol used, and customer support options. It is important to choose a reputable provider that has a large server network, uses strong encryption, and offers good customer support. Additionally, it is important to read reviews and check the privacy policy before signing up for any VPN service.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 24
Connections Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans. The game requires players to group four words that share something in common, with each puzzle featuring 16 words and each grouping split into four categories. Players can rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier, and there are multiple difficulty levels. 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, up to four mistakes before the game ends. The game is available on both web browsers and mobile devices and can be played by signing up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter.