Latest news with #Vader
Hypebeast
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Nike Air Max Plus TN Crosses to the Dark Side in Bold New "Darth Vader" Colorway
Name:Nike Air Max Plus TN 'Darth Vader'Colorway:Black/RedSKU:IM4868-010MSRP:$180 USDRelease Date:June 13, 2025Where to Buy:Nike Nike has unveiled a bold reimagining of the iconicAir Max Plus TN, cloaked in black and crimson — fit for an aspiring Sith Lord. Channeling the essence ofDarth Vader, the shoe features a dramatic gradient from black to red across the mesh toe box and toungue, while black laces weave into the bright red eyelets creating a striking contrast. Sleek, glossy accents slash across the otherwise matte silhouette, reminiscent of Darth Maul's Zabrak markings and battle-worn tattoos. A true homage to the dark side — but even villains need comfort. Equipped with Nike's signature Tuned Air (TN) technology, the shoe offers air-cushioned support and rock-solid stability, perfect for everything from an intergalactic duel to a casual stroll through the galaxy.
Miami Herald
05-06-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Tiny cheetah quintuplets born at Missouri zoo. Watch them bond with mom
Five tiny creatures played in a bed of hay and snuggled close to their mom as they took in the surroundings of their new home. Carefully, and from behind the scenes, staff at the St. Louis Zoo celebrated the birth of cheetah quintuplets and marked a milestone in the vulnerable species' survival, the zoo said in a June 5 news release. The litter of cubs was born to first time mom, 4-year-old Cora, and 8-year-old Vader, according to zoo officials. The two came to the zoo in 2024 and 2022, respectively, and were paired for breeding. 'The first few months of life are critical for newborn cheetahs,' the zoo said. 'The Animal Care team is monitoring the cheetah family via camera allowing them to watch Cora develop into an attentive mom — cleaning, nursing the cubs and keeping them warm.'' The newborns don't have names just yet, the zoo said. They'll spend time bonding with their mom before their first exams during which the sex of each cub will be determined and names will be selected afterward, the zoo said. While the adorable cubs, dubbed 'Cora's Quints,' won't be viewable to the public for several months, the zoo shared a video of them exploring their surroundings. 'Cora's Quints' are considered to be a larger but not 'unusual' litter size, according to the zoo. A litter of eight born in 2017 marked the largest litter delivered at the St. Louis Zoo. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species lists cheetahs as a vulnerable species. The species is native to Africa and Asia, but populations have drastically declined in the wild due to threats such as conflict with livestock owners, illegal trade and habitat loss, zoo officials said. Today, fewer than 7,000 live in Africa. The species is locally extinct in 13 countries, according to the zoo.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Saint Louis Zoo welcomes cheetah cub quintuplets
ST. LOUIS – The Saint Louis Zoo welcomed its newest animals last month. Five cheetah cubs were born on May 5 at the River's Edge Cheetah Breeding Center. The litter comes from the zoo's cheetahs Cora, 4, and Vader, 8. According to the Saint Louis Zoo, this is their first successful cheetah cub litter in seven years. They're nicknamed 'Cora's Quints.' Raising cheetah cubs is 'critical' in the first few months of their life, and they will stay out of the public eye for some time to bond with their mother. Care teams are monitoring each one via camera inside the den, but they say Cora has been an attentive mom. 'Each recommended cheetah birth is significant for the survival of this vulnerable species. Our dedicated Animal Care teams have been instrumental in these successful births from the pairing and introductions of Cora and Vader to the family's dietary needs, hormonal analysis for pregnancy monitoring, veterinary care, preparing a maternal den and so much more,' Julie Hartell-DeNardo, Kevin Beckmann Curator of Carnivores at Saint Louis Zoo, said in the release. Within the next few weeks, the cubs will receive their first vet checkup, which is where the doctors will learn the sex of each cub and name them. Cora and Vader, who arrived to the zoo last year, were paired together by recommendation from the AZA Cheetah Species Survival Plan. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Verge
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
A lot more AI characters are coming to Fortnite
AI Darth Vader was a huge hit in Fortnite, and now Epic plans to let creators make AI-powered NPCs for their own in-game experiences. But a senior Epic exec says that creators should expect a 'learning curve' when using them — something Epic had to figure out on its own. The AI Vader that Epic made lets users talk to the character using their voice and hear an AI-generated version of James Earl Jones's Vader voice talk back. It was the 'culmination of a very intense effort for a character everybody understands,' Saxs Persson, Epic's EVP of the Fortnite ecosystem, tells The Verge. But Epic couldn't just set an AI chatbot loose — 'a lot' went into defining how Vader reacted and dialing in the voice. The work was worth it, though; in-game, Vader's voice sounds just like the movies, and when he's on your team, he's a menacing, aggressive force. Persson says that Vader was ultimately 'integrated into gameplay in a way that every player could understand' and he hopes creators are able to make similar things. Vader's rollout wasn't perfect; a popular streamer, Loserfruit, was able to get Vader to swear, which Epic fixed shortly after it happened. Persson says that it was a 'learning experience' and that the team has built multiple layers of how it does its safety checks. Epic also tries to build systems to prevent those kinds of things and be able to react fast. 'We do our best job on day one,' Persson says. 'But more importantly, we're ready to surround the problem and actually have fixes in place as fast as we can.' Creators making AI NPCs for Fortnite will have access to the same safety tools that Epic did for Vader. At Unreal Fest on June 3rd, the company showed a live demo of an AI NPC called Mr. Buttons, whose only purpose was, using its voice, to try and convince the player to push a giant red button. It was a simple, effective, and funny demo that showed what's possible. The goal was to create a scenario where 'the responses are literally endless' so that 'everybody has a different experience,' Persson says. Persson wouldn't say if or when Epic plans to bring more AI NPCs to Fortnite. He says that Epic didn't give its designer some kind of 'AI objective' when making Vader. 'Our objective is fun,' CEO Tim Sweeney says. 'AI is just another tool they have now,' Persson adds. It sounds like AI characters could show up in Epic and Disney's 'persistent universe' that's in the works, too: 'I would imagine that AI plays a role,' Persson says, noting that it would help with immersion. Persson wouldn't share a timeline for when the universe, which was announced last year, might be available. But Epic is going to let creators make their own Star Wars- themed experiences, so perhaps somebody will create another take on an AI Darth Vader.
Tom's Guide
02-06-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
I didn't just stop scooping poop with the Litter Robot 4, it kept my cats healthy — here's how
If there's one unsung hero in my home that doesn't get enough recognition that it deserves, it's none other than Whisker's Litter Robot 4. I've had it for nearly 2.5 years, saving me countless time from getting down on my hands and knees to pick up after my cats. While I can't tell you enough how awesome it is to have this robotic litter box in my home to do the dirty duty of picking up my cats' poops, there's actually another feature about the Litter Robot 4 that I find equally as valuable. I honestly didn't think much of it the first few months, but its ability to monitor and track the weight of my cats has proven to be invaluable. In fact, it helped me to uncover a medical condition that was left undiagnosed for months with my cat Andy — and for that, I couldn't be grateful. Save yourself from constantly having to clean up after your cats with Whisker's Litter Robot 4. This robotic litter box not only cleans up after them, but its smart features allow you to track how frequently they use it and how much they weigh. With an assortment of accessories, it accommodates just about every feline no matter the breed, age, or size. As much as it takes the hassle away from cleaning up after my cats, the Litter Robot 4 has sensors that allow it to weigh them each time. At first, I didn't think much of this until one day I noticed my cat Andy started to feel a bit boney, especially around his back. He's been a hefty little feline, but I only realized his sudden weight change after I picked up my other cat Vader — who's even chonkier. For years taking Andy to the veterinarian, his weight would range from 10 to 12 pounds — so you can imagine my surprise to see it under 10 pounds through the Whisker app. What was even more of a shock was that his weight was trending downwards for the last couple of months, so we immediately took him to the vet. Our veterinarian eventually diagnosed him with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), so he was put on different medication and a new diet to see if he could pack on the pounds again. Long story short, it's been a struggle with his weight reaching as low as 8 pounds — but through the different remedies and medication, he's been on the upward trend the last 6 months. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Through it all, the Litter Robot 4 allowed me to monitor any big changes week by week. This feature came in hand because we were able to see how well he responded to different remedies. Best of all, it gave me accurate results because it weighs him each time he uses it. Since he's older now, I also like how I can tailor my Litter Robot 4 to meet my exact needs. Most other robotic litter boxes my cats have tested are raised, so oftentimes they fly out of the litter box when they're done — splattering messy pieces of litter everywhere. With the Litter Robot 4, I have a fence installed at the opening to lessen this. I also like how there's a ramp that can help older cats with mobility issues to enter and leave it. Here's hoping for another 2.5 years of faithful service.
