Latest news with #Asteroids
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Best Arcade
Asheville Pinball Museum | Asheville, NC Photo courtesy of Asheville Pinball Museum Photo courtesy of Asheville Pinball Museum Relive the arcade glory days of the 1970s and '80s at the Asheville Pinball Museum. One ticket lets you play dozens of classic and modern pinball machines along with retro video games (Frogger, anyone?) all day long. This place is so popular that there's often a waitlist, so show up early to make sure you can get inside, grab a local craft beer and start racking up high scores. Big Time Entertainment | Oxford, AL Photo courtesy of Jose carlos Cerdeno/iStock by Getty Images Photo courtesy of Jose carlos Cerdeno/iStock by Getty Images Bowling, axe throwing, mini golf, go-karts, laser tag: if it's fun, Big Time Entertainment has it waiting for you and your family. Its arcade features over 50 games, from classics like Pac-Man and Skee-Ball to the newest VR games that immerse you in the action. Kids and adults alike appreciate Big Time Grille for a quick burger or pretzel bites before another round of air hockey. Captain Crazy's Paradise | Foley, AL Photo courtesy of Captain Crazy's Paradise Photo courtesy of Captain Crazy's Paradise If you want to play old-school Atari and Capcom games but your kids want to play Fortnite during your Gulf Coast vacation, you can do both at Captain Crazy's Paradise. This arcade brings the nostalgia with games like Asteroids and Street Fighter alongside gaming bays with projectors for your family's favorite console and PC games. Rather practice your golf swing than fight aliens? Head to the golf simulator. Dave & Buster's New York City - Times Square | New York City, NY Photo courtesy of tupungato/iStock by Getty Images Photo courtesy of tupungato/iStock by Getty Images You've probably been to one of the 170+ Dave & Buster's before, but you've never been to one like this. The part sports bar, part arcade in Times Square was recently remodeled, adding mind-blowing games like the Human Crane, a giant claw machine—where you're the claw! Besides cutting-edge arcade games and wall-to-wall TVs, this location also offers murder mystery dinners, half-price games on Wednesdays and all-you-can-eat wings on Mondays. Galloping Ghost Arcade | Brookfield, IL Photo courtesy of NoSystem images/iStock by Getty Images Photo courtesy of NoSystem images/iStock by Getty Images The largest video arcade in the U.S., Galloping Ghost Arcade houses almost a thousand games to blast, fly and fight your way through for a flat fee. These aren't the clunkers you've seen at the mall; each is lovingly restored for peak play. The games work so well they've become popular for world-record runs—you never know which elite player might be next in line to the Castlevania machine you're playing! Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade | Portland, OR Photo courtesy of Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade Photo courtesy of Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade At Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade, your mission is to have fun with more than a hundred pinball machines and video games, both new and retro. Families are welcome from noon to 5 pm, perfect for challenging your kids to an NBA Jam game while downing tasty snacks and mocktails from the full bar. In the evening, the arcade switches to 21+ and hosts mixers, karaoke nights and Stern Army tournaments. Jedi Alliance | Spokane, WA Photo courtesy of Jedi Alliance Photo courtesy of Jedi Alliance The Force (of nostalgia) is strong at Jedi Alliance, where you can play over 150 arcade and pinball games before wandering through its fascinating pop culture museum. After testing your skills on vintage favorites like Mortal Kombat and Theatre of Magic, go geek out over the museum's unique collection of movie props from sci-fi greats, such as Terminator 2 and Galaxy Quest, along with tons of Star Wars memorabilia. JW Entertainment Zone | Palm Desert, CA Photo courtesy of JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa Photo courtesy of JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa Inside the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, you'll find one of California's largest resort arcades, brimming with nearly 200 classic games, from air hockey and basketball to a giant version of Pac-Man. Treat your friends to a round of drinks during a round of duckpin bowling, and then take a break from the noise of the arcade by walking outside and saying hi to the resort's famous flamingos. Musée Mécanique | San Francisco, CA Photo courtesy of KathyKafka/iStock by Getty Images Photo courtesy of KathyKafka/iStock by Getty Images On Pier 45 of Fisherman's Wharf you'll find a place that's part arcade, part sideshow museum and all kinds of quirky—Musée Mécanique, one of the world's largest private collections of coin-operated games and gadgets. Among rare finds like an antique hand-cranked organ, you'll see midway favorites you can play, like Atari's 1983 Star Wars video game, pinball cabinets from the 1960s and Zoltar-style fortune-telling machines. The best part? Free admission! Next Level Pinball Museum | Hillsboro, OR Photo courtesy of Next Level Pinball Museum Photo courtesy of Next Level Pinball Museum As if the over 300 pinball machines and over 300 arcade games from the 1980s to the present weren't enough, Next Level Pinball Museum draws in pop culture lovers too with thousands of vintage lunch boxes, pieces of movie memorabilia and toys that'll take you back to your childhood. It's one of the largest arcades in the world, so big that it takes almost four days to play every game! Peasants Deli & Arcade | Solvang, CA Photo courtesy of VTT Studio/iStock by Getty Images Photo courtesy of VTT Studio/iStock by Getty Images Come for the Kobe roast beef sandwiches, and stay for the secret stash of arcade games at Peasants Deli & Arcade. The arcade is small but mighty, with new-release and classic pinball games, claw machines (because everyone wants to win that huge rubber ducky!) and racing simulators. You'll love the arcade's wine-tasting events, complete with gourmet tapas and game tokens, that pair perfectly with a game of air hockey. Silverball Retro Arcade | Asbury Park, NJ Photo courtesy of Wirestock/iStock by Getty Images Photo courtesy of Wirestock/iStock by Getty Images Step off the Jersey Shore boardwalk and into Silverball Retro Arcade, where over 150 new and vintage games are ready to play. From a 1930s prize machine and a 1980s Donkey Kong arcade cabinet to the latest digital wonders from Jersey Jack Pinball, there's something to make every inner child giggle. If you work up an appetite, Silverball Café can refuel you with Nathan's Famous hot dogs and funnel cakes. Silverball Retro Arcade | Delray Beach, FL Photo courtesy of Silverball Retro Arcade Photo courtesy of Silverball Retro Arcade Need a rainy-day activity during your Florida beach trip? Silverball Retro Arcade offers throwback fun with dozens of pinball and video arcade games from every era. The arcade's disco ball sets a party vibe as you team up for a game of table shuffleboard or Ms. Pac-Man. You should definitely try the arcade's zeppole, Italian doughnuts topped with pastry cream. Weekday happy hours make the fun budget-friendly. The 1up Arcade Bar | Denver, CO Photo courtesy of The 1up Arcade Bar Photo courtesy of The 1up Arcade Bar With four locations spread across Denver, the 1up Arcade Bar brings its A game no matter where you are in the city. You'll love playing classics like Big Buck Safari and Galaga alongside new hits like Mario Kart DX racing and Stranger Things pinball. Each arcade has a full bar, perfect for downing a pickle shot (or a mystery shot if you're feeling brave) before joining the monthly pinball tournament. The Midway at Circus Circus | Las Vegas, NV Photo courtesy of Circus Circus Hotel & Casino Photo courtesy of Circus Circus Hotel & Casino Step right up! The Midway, inside the famous Circus Circus Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, is a family-friendly arcade filled with hundreds of carnival games and arcade machines, both new and old. You can win big prizes while you play or simply sit back and watch the incredible (and free!) circus acts that wow the crowd on the arcade's center stage. The Track Family Fun Park | Gulf Shores, AL Photo courtesy of kali9/iStock by Getty Images Photo courtesy of kali9/iStock by Getty Images While you might be tempted to ride the Skycoaster, go-karts and Blaster Boats all day at the Track, take a break from the Gulf Coast heat inside Fat Daddy's Arcade, the Track's indoor gaming space. Over 60 games, from claw machines and racing games to digital bowling, will thrill your family—especially once your kids get to redeem their tickets for cool prizes!
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
After the Arecibo collapse in 2020, a lone NASA radar dish in the Mojave desert stepped up as a leading asteroid hunter
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Rising out of the remote Mojave Desert, NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar is a solitary satellite dish that communicates with spacecraft. In its downtime, the facility's antennas can track objects in space as they pass by Earth, improving measurements of their orbits that help scientists calculate if a particular target has a chance of colliding with our planet. By the end of 2024, Goldstone had detected 55 Near-Earth Asteroids, setting a new annual record for the facility. In 1968, scientists used Goldstone to make the first radar asteroid observations. In the decades that followed, researchers leaned more heavily on the Arecibo Observatory, a larger dish in Puerto Rico that could make more detailed studies. "While Arecibo was in operation, about 2.5 times as many binary system satellites had been found there relative to Goldstone," asteroid hunter and planetary scientist Lance Benner, of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told by email. But the unexpected 2020 collapse of Arecibo left Goldstone as the new heavy hitter. According to Benner, the number of binaries identified by Goldstone is comparable to those found at Arecibo. Benner, who uses Goldstone to observe known asteroids, updated the planetary science community on the status of steroid radar observations made to Goldstone in March, at the 56th annual Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference in Houston, Texas. Asteroids are leftover bits from the dawn of the solar system, and have the potential to reveal information about those formative years. Of the 37,255 known near-Earth asteroids, only 1127 have been observed by radar, and 512 of those were observed by Goldstone. Since the fall of Arecibo, 199 NEAs have been detected at Goldstone; 154 of them were detected for the first time by radar. Of those, 112 were classified as potentially hazardous asteroids. While asteroids are more easily discovered with optical telescopes, radar images shine when it comes to details. Radar can help astronomers study the physical properties of the asteroids, including their shapes, sizes, rotation states, surface features like roughness, and radar reflectivity. "Some images obtained with radar […] rival the resolutions of spacecraft flyby missions," Benner said. All of this can help scientists better understand the structure and composition of the asteroids as they buzz by Earth. Radar can also help to refine the asteroid's path through space, which can help researchers determine how likely it is to collide with Earth in the future. And radar shines when it comes to companions. Because it provides the equivalent of an up-close look at the space rocks, it can determine when asteroids are in binary pairs or even triple systems. Of the 75 binary and triple asteroid systems observed by radar since 2000, 70% were discovered using radar. From 2021 to 2024, Goldstone's DSS-14 radar antenna observed 19 binary systems, identifying 14 of these for the first time. Goldstone even helped revise some of Arecibo's findings; the system 1998 ST27 was formerly classified as a binary from previous observations, but has now been reclassified as a triple thanks to Goldstone. Observations of these NEAs are generally scheduled well in advance, though there are occasionally opportunities to study a newfound asteroid on short notice. In some months, Benner said, there might be observations anywhere from 10 to 15 days, while in other months hunting asteroids is regulated to only a handful of days. The process has become more flexible in recent years. In the past, would-be-observers had to obtain permission from more then 20 government agencies or military units who control restricted airspace surrounding the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex. "Obtaining approval could take several days, and in some cases, the asteroids had moved too far from Earth by the time we got approval to take full advantage of the observing opportunities," Benner said. That requirement is no longer necessary. Observers no longer need to get approval to transmit toward specific parts of the sky and at specific times. "This gives us the ability to change targets on the fly," Benner said. That, in turn, allows for a rising number of asteroids to be studied. "There are now so many asteroids known — and being discovered, sometimes more than 200 per month — that there are usually multiple asteroids within our range of detection every day, so flexibility with observing is really important," Benner said. The greater flexibility has led to an increase in asteroid observations from the Mojave. The 55 NEAs detected at Goldstone in 2024 represents a 1.5x increase relative to the average from 2012 to 2018, and a five-fold increase compared to 15 years ago. "Overall, there has been a significant uptick in time allocated at Goldstone for radar observations," as priority for radar observations is now considered comparable to space missions, Benner said. RELATED STORIES: — 2 asteroids just zipped by Earth, and NASA caught footage of the action — NASA radar images show stadium-size asteroid tumbling by Earth during flyby (photos) — Radar could help scientists find potentially threatening asteroids. Here's how Goldstone saw first light in December 1958, immediately after NASA was created and just in time to support the agency's Pioneer 3 mission to the moon. The Pioneer Station, an 85-foot (26-meter) polar mounted antenna, was the first to be constructed at Goldstone, and went on to support multiple spacecraft as well as the Apollo missions. It was officially shut down in 1981, and in 1985 was declared a National Historic Monument due to its role as the first deep space antenna in the Deep Space Network. The first observation of an asteroid using a radar telescope was made of asteroid (1566) Icarus in 1968 at Goldstone and later the then-functioning Haystack Observatory. At the time, Icarus was a subject of extreme interest as it made its closest approach to Earth. Goldstone antennas have also been used to study other objects in the solar system, such as the moon. Goldstone was the first of three instruments that today make up NASA's Deep Space Network. Along with dishes in Canberra, Australia and Madrid, Spain, the network communicates with ongoing missions, including continuing to keep in contact with the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, the most distant human-made objects in the solar system. More than 40 missions have depended on the network, and it is expected to support twice that number in the coming years.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hyundai Teases the Insteroid, a Concept That Looks Straight out of a Video Game
The video-game-inspired Insteroid concept is based on the , a compact EV SUV sold in Europe and Asia. The Insteroid concept features insane motorsport-influenced styling, with a massive rear wing, boxy wheel arches, and pixelated LED rain lights. Hyundai is expected to officially unveil the new concept early next month as a show car. The video game landscape has changed quite a bit since Asteroids was released in 1979. High-poly 3-D models, hyper-realistic graphics, and sophisticated physics engines have turned video games into a medium for transforming fantasies into virtual reality. With its new Insteroid concept, Hyundai aims to flip that script by building a real-life concept so wild that it looks like it could only exist on a virtual racetrack. The Insteroid appears to be the antithesis of the humble 113-hp Inster EV SUV that it is based on. While the standard Inster is a budget-conscious foreign-market electric crossover best used for inner-city transport, there's nothing humble about the Insteroid's visual styling. Hyundai says that the Insteroid name is a combination of the words "Inster" and "steroid," and it certainly looks more 'roid than Inster. Its aggressive exterior mixes visual elements reminiscent of 1980s WRC and modern Formula 1 cars, with Audi Quattro–style boxed wheel arches and a rear wing that could have come straight off of Max Verstappen's championship-winning F1 racer from last year. In Hyundai's dimly lit teaser photos, the silhouette of a roll cage can be seen through the Insteroid's windshield, and a roof scoop sits atop its lid. Pixelated LED rear rain lights are another playful accent that blends the barrier between virtual and reality. The Insteroid's interior presumably matches its sporty exterior, with control buttons and an instrument display designed specifically for the video game-inspired concept. It is unclear whether the Insteroid features the same 103-hp electric powertrain as the standard Inster (if it features a powertrain at all), but Hyundai will likely discuss those details when they unveil the concept early next month. With the Insteroid set to remain a show model, the only time that you are likely to drive it is if it appears in Gran Turismo. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Buzz Feed
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
30 Products For Bored Humans Who Want To Try Something New
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · Come on. Admit it. You've always kind of wanted to churn your own fancy butter. 1. A pickling starter kit complete with everything you need to start fermenting small batches of INFINITE delicious things, from the traditional cucumbers and onions to yummy sauerkraut and kimchi to adventurous watermelon and mango 😋 . (If you've never had pickled mango before ... THANK ME LATER.) Promising review: "Perfect for a newbie like me! I've never fermented anything before. In fact, I'm quite a picky eater when it comes to food. I have recently come to learn so much more about fermented foods and how healthy they are for is, so I wanted to try it. I followed the cookbook instructions and my first batch of red cabbage was amazing! This kit gave me everything I needed to make my first batch and it was actually edible to me (remember … very picky eater) so it performed its job splendidly!" — Trisha Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (also available in a larger kit). 2. A miniature arcade Atari so you can spend your day off in a time machine to the '80s — this itty bitty console is loaded up with ten playable retro-style games, including Pac-Man, Breakout, Asteroids, and more. Reviewers also mention how much they love giving them as gifts! Promising review:"I've put probably 10 hours in playing with this little system. It's an excellent little Atari clone, the screen is crystal clear, the games play exactly as expected, the sound is great the controller is a joy. This is an absolute must for anyone that loves retro games." — Doug Welyczko Get it from Amazon for $29.99. 3. "Pocket World," a stress relief coloring book for adults full of whimsical miniature Polly Pocket-esque worlds to color, with no two alike. I'm talking fairy gardens, tiny hygge-style living rooms, quirky restaurants, and more. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon for $9.59! Promising review:"One of my favorites ever!!! The idea is perfect, and the pages are all unique and fun to color, with no repetition, and the details aren't too tiny. Great for anxiety if you're doing coloring for mental health. (I hate the pages that are just tiny patterns repeated endlessly. Makes my anxiety worse.)" — Ezra Johnson Get it from Amazon for $7.99. 4. And a "Through The Seasons" Reverse Coloring Book, which is a newer edition of the original Reverse Coloring Book that took the internet by storm — reviewers swear by this easy, calming artistic outlet to help ease their anxiety, relieve stress, and unleash their inner creativity without taking up too much brainpower. For those new to the concept — Instead of adding the color to these, you add the lines to create images within the colors. Sort of like a Rorschach test, but make it whimsical. Check out a TikTok of the reverse coloring book in action. Promising review: "Kendra Norton's beautiful art books, Reverse Coloring books, have changed my world! My whole life, I thought I was not creative and had zero artistic ability. Now, this has become my favorite form of artistic expression. I turn on music and/or an audiobook and allow myself to go for an adventure outside of my mind, beyond my mind, if you will. T his has become my favorite way to process through difficult emotions and experiences I'm working through." — K. DeWitt Get it from Amazon for $8.29. (Psst — check out these cult-fave black fine point pens for $8.99 on Amazon for a good doodling option!) 5. A low-maintenance little beginner's crochet kit complete with everything you need to create Rexy, your new pocket-sized dino BFF. Promising review:"I am beyond impressed! The kit truly comes with everything you need to complete Rexy, from the yarn to the hook and even the stuffing. The yarn provided feels incredibly sturdy and pleasant to work with, making the whole crocheting process enjoyable. What really stood out to me is how cute and well-designed each item in the kit is. Rexy is absolutely adorable, and I loved watching this little dino come to life as I crocheted. If you're looking for a fun and rewarding project, this kit is perfect!" — Lior mealem Get it from Amazon for $28.99 (and check out a ton of other beginner options on the Amigo Rumi storefront!). 6. A cult-fave, high-quality 100-piece Dog Park Puzzle so full of adorable details that it's just going to be a constant stream of serotonin every time you push another piece into place. Reviewers love not just the whimsical art style, but the fact that it's so well-made that there's never any glare on the image or "puzzle dust" when they put it together. Antelope is a small business that specializes in high-quality, unique jigsaw puzzles. Promising review: "This was my first time putting a 1000-piece puzzle together myself. Once I sorted the pieces out in sorting trays (highly recommend), I thought maybe this was a bit much for me. I started it a week ago and worked a little bit each day. I really enjoyed this. The pieces are very good quality. The details and colors are outstanding. I was constantly discovering something new I hadn't noticed before. I'm actually kinda sad I'm done, but I'll pack it away and bring it out again in about six months and have fun all over again." — ScubaReader Get it from Amazon for $21.59+ (available in six other whimsical designs and in multisets). 7. A 5-pound bucket of Crayola Air Dry Clay to let you finally follow your inner pottery dreams without all the mess and effort of taking classes. After you pull the clay out to shape it, it'll harden on its own — no oven or any effort required! From there you can leave it as is or paint over it for a fun vibe. Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes! Promising review: "It's honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It's definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that's a given? I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $10.96. 8. A gorgeous pastel paint-by-number you can get in all kinds of intricate, deeply satisfying patterns for anyone who is looking for an activity that pairs perfectly with a screen-free night in. Amazon, Each set comes with a detailed numbered outline, four brushes, and a set of numbered acrylic paints with extra to spare. Promising review: "Colorful and fun! This is the third paint-by-number I've done, and by far the most challenging. Lots of fine point detail, and the paint brushes included were adequate, unlike other PBN sets I've bought." — Emily cox Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 12 styles). 9. A sushi-making kit perfect for beginners or intermediate sushi makers, so you can finally mix and match the exact ingredients your adventurous heart desires. I'm definitely going to sushi jail for this, but I've started putting peanut butter in my avocado rolls. Don't knock it until you try it. Anyway, each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions, including recipes for six popular rolls. Psst — if you REALLY want to level up your homemade sushi game, I highly recommend adding this truffle seasoning on Amazon for $10.99! It tastes so startlingly decadent. I've been ordering it for years to put on my avocado rolls and shiitake rolls when I order sushi. Promising review:"Received this the other day and the wife and I had our own sushi night at home...I did not realize there were two mats in the package which was a nice little surprise... everything is made of good quality materials, easy to use and a good fun activity for date night at home. I will be getting a few more as gifts for a few product, received it quickly and for the price you cannot go wrong." — Timothy J Stegner Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 10. A beginner's embroidery kit for adults, so you can have something soothing to do with your hands while you marathon yet another podcast full of murder, murder, and a side murder. (At least now your stitching will be tighter than the main suspect's alibi!) Each kit comes with a simple design, a cotton cloth, a bamboo embroidery hoop, a little scissor, colored threads, embroidery needles, and instructions, so you should be raring to go when it arrives! Promising review:"I've never done anything like this before ... but I like to try new things, and I've just recently moved and wanted to decorate my house with some handmade decor. This kit is a great value for the price! It came with the hoop, more than enough thread, and two needles! The printed pattern is very clear and easy to follow, and the little sheet of instructions on what stitch to use and how to do it is clear enough (and anything I don't understand, I just watch a tutorial on YouTube). I'm about three hours into the project already, and I didn't want to put it down last night." — Abby Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in 19 different patterns). 11. A Stealth core trainer that turns exercising into a *game* so you can trick your body into working out by occupying your brain with the business of "stealth speed gliding" and "galaxy adventure," which are just two of the catchy games in this system that help work your core. Amazon Stealth Fitness is a small business that specializes in unique at-home fitness equipment. Here's what BuzzFeeder Mallory Mower says about this gizmo:"Getting a Stealth board was the very best thing that has happened to me during quarantine. Mixing the fun of games on your phone with the natural endorphins you get from exercising is, to put it lightly, genius. I have two in my home, and my husband and I compete daily to see who can last the longest. My favorite game is the paragliding challenge; he's into the planet-blasting space adventure. Nerd." Promising review:"Fantastic purchase to solve the boring plank exercises after a year of doing them. This has a quick, easy, simple hit-it-and-forget-it daily with a game, three-minute max, and great results. Much improved core strength, reduce lower back pain, and a high five from my doctor. Highly recommend this for those in need of core buildup and help to manage the time to fit this into a daily schedule." — James Corey Get it from Amazon for $129. 12. An "Everyday Mindfulness"-themed word search book full of unique, relaxing puzzles designed to keep you engaged without stressing you out. Amazon, Promising review: "This is exactly what I was looking for! It lays flat to easily complete the word search and not have to fight with the book. There are different types of puzzles, and some have extra secret searches! It's great for the slow days at work!! I will definitely be buying more of these word searches!" — Roy Y Hahn Get it from Amazon for $11.68. 13. Or Murdle, Volume 1, a true essential for anyone who relaxes to true crime podcasts or Only Murders in the Building. The book is full of murder 100 mystery-themed logic puzzles with four different levels of difficulty that you can do solo or with pals, and in order or out of order (although if you do it in order, you get the full scoop on Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, whose hilarious misadventures guide you through the book). The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2, Volume 3, and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes but this one will keep me busy for awhile!" — Liz Gately Get it from Amazon for $10.25. 14. A mushroom growing kit that grows right there in the packaging, so you can add some sweet, sweet umami flavors to all your favorite dishes by sautéing, roasting, or air frying them up. Back To The Roots is a California-based small business founded by two college friends that specializes in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food. Check out a TikTok of the mushroom kit in action. Promising review:"This product has been so much fun to watch! I followed the directions, exactly as written, and the mushrooms began growing within 3–4 days. I will say that I did soak them for close to 10 hours before putting them back in the box to grow and I believe this helped a ton. I also kept the box inside by a window with the blinds closed in order for them to get indirect sunlight. The mushrooms grew tremendously for almost a week before they started to shrink so I clipped them to cook with and they were DELICIOUS! This was such a fun product and process to watch." — Steph A Get it from Amazon for $19.97. 15. A set of cat-themed tarot cards purrrfect for first-timers, complete with a guide on how to pull the cards and how to interpret them. You'll be doing readings for everyone from yourself to your BFF to your actual cat, by the end of the week. Promising review:"Honestly, I saw this tarot deck and thought I needed this for ha ha's. But man. This deck's images are hilarious. It's so much fun, and I felt so drawn to it as soon as it was in my hands. I am smitten over these kittens. 😍 10000% worth the purchase!" — Kathryn Prouty Get it from Amazon for $17.45. 16. A beginner's guide to calligraphy that is far more thorough and specific about technique and ink types than other versions, and will have you writing inspirational messages to your friends and drafting fancy invitations to your dog's birthday party in NO time. Paper Peony Press is a Texas-based boutique publishing company that specializes in purpose-driven books. Promising review:"I've tried several instructional books on hand lettering. This book is the best by far. I won't say the names of the other books, but suffice it to say they are all at the top of the list when you search for hand lettering. It is the only book that gives practice for the base strokes and also discusses posture and how to hold the pen, and at what angle to the paper. It is also a lovely book to work with; nice artwork/illustrations. I recommend this book to other beginners out there!" — Karen Rorick Get it from Amazon for $24.98. 17. Yardzee, a jumbo dice game that boldly asked, "What if we took Yahtzee and made it ginormous?" This set includes six (lightweight!) giant dice, a storage bucket, and double-sided scorecards to play over 20 ridiculously fun outdoor games with the whole fam. Bonus: reviewers mention using it as game room decor when it's not in use, since it has such an elevated look! Swooc Games is a small business that specializes in unconventional, giant games for home and outdoor use. Promising review: "Our family loves Yahtzee, but Yardzee was so much more fun! It is like a giant lifesize game. It was so much fun to play outside as a family. We had ages 7–65 playing and enjoying the game. As a homeschooler, I also love that it sneaks in math and writing." — The Waldock Way Get them from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in two dice sizes). 18. The 369 Method Manifestation Journal, which you may find helpful not just for setting plans to achieve your goals, but to better help define them for yourself. The journal explains the "Law Of Attraction" method for manifesting, and gives you 12 weeks of space to help make your goals a reality, with lines to write your manifestations three times in the morning, six in the afternoon, and nine at night. Amazon Promising review:"This book is exactly what I needed to start my journey to a better life in 2024. This journal helped me write down my goals and mentally practice a positive outlook. I am excited for the journey ahead." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $7.79. 19. Hues And Cues, a DELIGHTFUL party game that's easy and fun to play no matter how well you know the other players. It comes with a board of 480 color swatches — the aim of the game is to make your friends guess which color swatch you're looking at with either one-word or two-word clues. Whoever gets the closest to the color in each round gets the most points! Emma Lord/BuzzFeed I played this at a friend's apartment with a mix of people I did and didn't know, and we all had a BLAST. It was a fun opportunity for us to reference hyper specific things when trying to lock down a specific shade (if memory serves, "zombie Barney" and "aggressive banana" were ones that got thrown around) and to get to know each other's tastes and ways of looking at the world. The rules and scoring system are super easy to learn, too, so there wasn't a big hurdle getting everyone on board. I highly recommend for some good, wholesome, often laugh out loud party fun! Get it from Amazon for $19.99. 20. A Gaiam starter set for yoga complete with all the basics, including a yoga mat, a yoga block, and a stretching strap, so you can tune into free yoga classes you gain access to with the set. Achieving mindfulness and flow in a chaotic world? Bring it om. Promising review:"I am not very limber and I have chronic spine issues, so having a block and strap was essential for me to do yoga. Before using this, I always ended up hurting myself or feeling bad about myself because I couldn't complete the stretches and would just give up. This kit made everything go so smoothly; I can adjust the block or the strap to help me stretch without hurting myself (or falling over). And I highly recommend the sitting techniques in the DVD as well as the meditation." — blightheavy Get it from Amazon for $29.98. 21. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, a DEEPLY beloved, fast-paced card game suitable for kids and adults that will have everyone in fits of high-stakes giggles in no time. Bonus: each game only lasts 10–15 minutes, so you can go one or a few rounds depending on how much time you've got together. Amazon Dolphin Hat Games is a small business that specializes in family-friendly card games. Okay, so the rules: you divvy up all the cards equally, and then all the players take turns putting down cards that have different illustrations on them, saying "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza" in order. If the card put on the table matches the word that's being said in that moment, whoever slaps a hand down on the card first gets all the cards under it. You keep playing until someone comes in possession of all the cards (or until you all start craving tacos and pizza so much you drive yourselves to the nearest combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell). Promising review: "I got this as a family gift for Christmas and we have been loving it! It's easy to learn, quick to play, and so much fun. So much laughing, screaming, just really great family fun." — K Get it from Amazon for $9.84. 22. Oprah's The Life You Want: 100 Questions Everyone Should Ask," a set of conversation cards to help you start thoughtful conversations with friends and families to help you connect and make meaningful memories out of your time together. Amazon This was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things for 2024 — check out more of Oprah's picks on Amazon's gift shop! The one hundred questions are often open-ended and thoughtful, like "What would it take to feel truly rested?" and "What doorway is open to you?" making it an ideal set of cards for journal prompts, too! Get it from Amazon for $34.95. 23. A teensy DIY cheese kit with everything you need to learn to make four batches of farmer's cheese and live your most delicious life in a half hour. Urban Cheesecraft/Etsy Urban Cheesecraft is an Oregon-based Etsy shop established in 2009 that specializes in make-your-own cheese kits in a variety of cheeses, including vegan options. Each kit comes with a cheesecloth, citric acid, flake salt, instructions, and "email support for life" — all you need is milk (and a mouth to consume it all). Promising review:"These kits are great gifts for the cheese lover and the person 'who's already got it all.' The packaging looks nice and gift-worthy and it's a perfect price range. I love that the recipient gets an experience as well as a tangible product and I can personally attest that the actual process is easy." — amyleannbohner 24. A beginner-friendly diamond painting coaster set perfect for anyone who has ever thought to themselves, "You know what the only thing better than cat coasters would be? Glittery cat coasters." The universe has delivered. Promising review:"The designs and colors are the same as shown on Amazon. Finished coasters sparkle, and the vibrant colors create eight very cute cats. There were plenty of beads to complete the project, and adhesion was excellent. Letters and numbers were sharp and easy to follow. I am delighted with these coasters." — PackLeaderJ Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in five styles). 25. Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions, a bartender-beloved book for beginner- to intermediate-level cocktail enthusiasts that breaks down six iconic "root" cocktails — the old-fashioned, martini, daiquiri, sidecar, whisky highball, and flip — to show you how to improvise and riff your own creations based on what combos work with the ingredients you have. Amazon Check out a TikTok of the cocktail book in action. Promising review:"This book has easily become one of my favorites. Great base knowledge and would recommend to anyone seeking to further educate themselves on spirits and cocktails. Even the first few pages is full of useful information. Purchase this for yourself or even as a gift. I cannot say enough good things about this book." — Adriana Get it from Amazon for $19.12. 26. A compact, travel-friendly microwave flower press kit so you can preserve the beauty of the flowers you find on your adventures no matter where you roam, and keep them in a little flower press journal to admire. This is unique from other methods because the microwave makes it a minutes-long process instead of days, and helps preserve the vibrant colors! Microfleur is a small business that specializes in unique flower-pressing products. Promising review: "Such a unique and easy-to-use product. I preserve dried flowers in resin, and this has been such a time saver. In literally minutes, you have a perfectly preserved flower. I've never had any burned or overcooked flowers doing it this way and it definitely beats pressing them in a book. I can't wait to buy these as gifts for a few other plant lovers in my life." — Jessie Get it from Amazon for $16.99. 27. A beginner's wood carving kit to get you started on an oh-so-satisfying, soothing hobby, so you can start gifting your loved ones with carved bluejays and cardinals in no time. Each kit includes two wood carving blocks (one cherry and one basswood), a carving knife, sharpening supplies, a template, and three types of sandpaper. Promising review:"The company is very supportive and their kit is great. It has everything you need to start working with wood. Additionally, I have really appreciated the professionalism and customer service received from them." — Sam Get it from Amazon for $32.99. 28. A set of washable paints for all of the fun of a good colorful mess with none of the consequences — these paints come right off skin and machine washable clothing, no muss or fuss. Reviewers swear by them for decorating everythingto good old-fashioned fingerpainting. Psst — a lot of parents use this to get painted impressions of babies' hands and feet, since it's so easy to wash off! Promising review: "This paint is great because I can let my kids really express themselves artistically because I know it will all wash off clothes and surfaces. I highly recommend for parents, teachers, babysitters, or anyone else looking for a good, but washable paint." — Brittany Get a pack of six from Amazon for $8.29. 29. A "Winning Fingers" flashing cube game beloved by kids and adults alike — it lights up on all sides for four different types of quick-coordination games involving speed and memory that are super easy to learn, but will give you hours of game play trying to beat your top scores. Psst — parents highly recommend these for road trips, especially because it's not super loud! Amazon, Promising review: "Great game. It takes the best of Simon, the Rubiks Cube, Bop It, and anything else and throws it into one beautiful little brick. My girls fight over it, and that's only after I'm done using i t. Great great game, might as well get one for each kid. This is the kind of stuff that kids should be tinkering with over screen time. Nice job on this product." — CharlesF11 Get it from Amazon for $21.99. Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The 'clouds' weighing down the market aren't going anywhere: Chart of the Week
The stock market swings are intensifying. In the past week, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) either increased or fell by 1% every day — generally the latter — as uncertainties around the path of economic growth, particularly President Trump's proposed tariffs, have weighed on investors. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) just had their worst weeks in six months. The S&P 500 is now 6% off its most recent all-time high, while the Nasdaq Composite is now in a correction, off more than 10% from its most recent high. As our chart of the week shows, the path lower has come with some aggressive bounces, usually prompted by Trump either threatening tariffs — or de-escalating those threats. In this pressurized environment, even something like a relatively solid February jobs report did little to cool investor nerves on Friday. Stocks still swung big once again, diving into the 5,600s before eking out a modest gain, closing at 5,770. And the market's new bet for three Federal Reserve interest rate cuts during 2025, as the economy slows, changed little. "There's a lot of clouds out there, some storms, things are getting pretty dark," Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi told Yahoo Finance. "So I think I'd soak this [jobs] number up. I think it might be the best number we get for a while." While there's heavy debate on how long the clouds will be here and how big of a storm they could bring with them, one thing feels clear right now: They aren't going away in a swift enough fashion for investors to feel confident taking the boat out tomorrow. On the other hand, the market's recent skittishness isn't a common occurrence. Through Thursday, the S&P 500 had swung 2% or more for seven straight sessions as of Friday. Per data from Yahoo Finance's Jared Blikre, this is the longest stretch with such large intraday movement in the benchmark index since August 2024. Notably, that's also the last time the market narrative centered around a "growth scare," where investors grew concerned about the trajectory of the US economy. BlackRock's chief investment officer of global fixed income Rick Rieder, who's been in the industry since the 1980s, wrote in a note to clients Friday that "it seems as if there have been very few times in markets where one has to interpret so much disparate, and at times conflicting, data relative to the economy and influences on it." Rieder likened the current news flow to playing the arcade game "Asteroids" — where players must fight off a constant flurry of asteroids before they hit their ship — while also having to put a quarter into the machine to keep the game running. "[The February jobs] report was just another asteroid coming at the markets, and presumably one of the asteroids that the Fed has to assess when determining when and if they can cut interest rates again," Rieder said. "Today's report didn't suggest an emergency need to cut rates ... and hence the volatility of interest rates can continue for a while." Equity strategists are offering similar opinions on the path forward for stocks too. "For now, we remain in a discovery process," RBC Capital Markets head of US equity strategy Lori Calvasina wrote in a note to clients on Friday. "For stocks to bottom, we think clear evidence of resiliency in the hard [economic] data needs to emerge, and/or more clear indications of a bottoming in our sentiment, valuation, and earnings revisions indicators." Josh Schafer is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on X @_joshschafer. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Sign in to access your portfolio
