Duolingo will soon add chess to its list of non-language courses, alongside music and math. The company has revealed that it will add chess lessons to its app, which will initially be available in beta in its iOS app. Senior product manager Edwin Bodge told Cnet that Duolingo is catering to “more of a beginner, medium [player]” in an effort to make the game more accessible. The app will start by asking you how much you know about chess and then tailoring lessons based on your level — it will even teach you how each piece moves if you’re a total newbie. 

If you already know how each piece moves, then you’ll play against Duolingo’s character Oscar in mini-puzzles, wherein you’ll have to capture certain pieces using a specified piece, like a rook. The puzzles are meant to get you used to how each piece moves, especially since you’ll get hints for each lesson. If you move a piece where it can’t go several times, Duolingo will put a big arrow on where a piece could go. But since there are many ways to move a piece around the chessboard, the app won’t tell you if you made the wrong choice. It can only tell you in a banner how it wasn’t the best move out of all the available options. 

In addition to the mini-puzzles, you’ll be able to play full games against Oscar that scale up in difficulty based on your level, but you can’t play against other learners just yet. Cnet says Duolingo is still looking into adding that feature, though it won’t be part of the beta version that will be available sometime in mid-May. The company also said that it’s working to make chess lessons available on Android and in languages other than English in the coming months. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/duolingo-will-soon-start-offering-chess-lessons-121545964.html?src=rss

I’ll bet you don’t spend a ton of time thinking about Deimos, the smaller of the two Martian moons, which is named after the Ancient Greek god that personified dread.

And who could blame you? Of the two Martian moons, Phobos gets more attention, including as a possible waystation for human missions to Mars. Phobos is larger than Deimos, with a radius of 11 km, and closer to the Martian surface, a little more than 9,000 km away.

By contrast, Deimos is tiny, with a radius of 6 km, and quite a bit further out, more than 23,000 km from the surface. It is so small that, on the surface of Mars, Deimos would only appear about as bright in the night sky as Venus does from Earth.

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From infamous tyrants to modern media monsters, these podcasts explore the most messy, menacing, and sometimes misunderstood figures throughout history. Whether you’re into true crime, pop culture, philosophy, or political intrigue, here are 10 standout podcasts that dive deep into the dark side.

Behind the Bastards

Credit: ‘Behind the Bastards’

Hosted by Robert Evans (not the film guy, the journalist and former war correspondent,) Behind the Bastards is a deep dive into some of the worst people in history, from brutal dictators to modern-day grifters and cult leaders. Episodes are long and go extremely in depth. Evans will often take several episodes to cover a single subject. (Like his Vince McMahon series, which is incredible and a good place to start.) With every episode, he and a guest blend sharp historical research with biting humor and a little righteous rage. It’s dark, funny, and educational.

Behind the Insurrections

Credit: ‘Behind the Insurrections’

A spin-off of Behind the Bastards (and also hosted by Robert Evans), Behind the Insurrections is a limited series that looks at the history of attempted (and successful) insurrections around the world. (There’s a fun sprinkling about history’s antifascists, too.) Along with his friend and co-host Propaganda (from Hood Politics), Evans uses his signature wit and insight to draw chilling parallels between past uprisings and modern-day threats to democracy that feel both clarifying and terrifying. It’s shocking how familiar it all sounds. Start at the very beginning with “Mussolini’s March on Rome: The First Fascist Insurrection.”

Weird Little Guys

Credit: ‘Weird Little Guys’

On Weird Little Guys, Molly Conger leans into her niche expertise: terrible people who, deep down inside, are actually just messed up weirdos. In each episode, she profiles questionable characters from history, media, and myth whom you may or may not have heard of. I love that even if the subject matter is heavy or depressing, listening to this show feels like getting gossip from your smart, well-read friend. If you can’t do anything about skinheads, the least you can do is figure out how they got to be such huge losers. It’s cathartic. 

This Guy Sucked

Credit: ‘This Guy Sucked’

Historian Claire Aubin is the host of This Guy Sucked, an academic takedown of awful men throughout history, culture, and current events, from Voltaire to mid-century liberals. Claire ups the ante with historians and professors for conversations that are equal parts funny and smart. This a history podcast with a great host who is doing more than just reading Wikipedia entries—she’s sparking engaging conversations and teaching you about some of the stuff you learned wrong the first time around. 

Bad Gays

Credit: ‘Bad Gays’

Bad Gays, hosted by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller, shines a light on villainous figures, but only the queer ones. Each episode is full of great storytelling, lots of jokes, and academic rigor. It challenges simplistic narratives and asks important questions about power, identity, and complicity, something that anyone on the gender spectrum can fall prey to. Start with “J. Edgar Hoover,” an episode about an iconic bad gay, dissected with nuance and wit.

Real Dictators

Credit: ‘Real Dictators’

Real Dictators is a gripping narrative history podcast that dives into the lives of some of the world’s most infamous authoritarian rulers. Hosted by Paul McGann (with a dramatic, cinematic tone), the show blends historical facts with the kind of immersive storytelling, dramatic narration, beautiful sound design, and compelling pacing that will make you feel like you’re at the movies. Each season or multi-part episode focuses on a different dictator—think Stalin, Mao, Saddam Hussein—tracing their rise to power, ideologies, and brutal regimes.

The Villain Was Right

Credit: ‘The Villain Was Right’

The Villain Was Right is a hilarious rewatch podcast that defends famous movie villains and asks, “Were they really that wrong?” Comedians Craig Fay and Rebecca Reeds bring episodes that are clever, irreverent, and surprisingly persuasive. You’ll never look at The Devil Wears Prada the same way again. We’re not talking about Stalin and Hitler, we’re talking about The Wet Bandits in Home Alone. (In fact, that’s a fun place to start.) 

Disgraceland

Credit: ‘Disgraceland’

On Disgraceland, Jake Brennan combines true crime stories and the music world, to tell the stories of musicians who have gotten away with murder, if not literally then figuratively. The production level is high, Jake has an unforgettable voice that brings drama to every story, and the show is endlessly bingeable. Think Behind the Music behind bars.

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

Credit: ‘Evil Genius’

You’ll love the debates on Evil Genius, where host and comedian Russell Kane (and his guests) argue whether controversial historical figures were truly evil—or just complicated. It’s both history and game! Russell is a comedian, so this is for people who like their history with a dash of comedy. Episodes are fast-paced and dig into moral gray areas without getting preachy. Start with Walt Disney, a guy we all love but who also really needs a few minutes under the microscope. 

Very Bad Wizards

Credit: ‘Very Bad Wizards’

On Very Bad Wizards, a philosopher (Tamler Sommers) and a psychologist (David Pizarro) talk about the morality of bad behavior in pop culture, film, and real life. It’s both entertaining and will send you down philosophical rabbit holes. You’ll love it because it’s both academic and insightful while still being casual and fun. Sommers brings the fiery, contrarian philosopher energy and Pizarro offers thoughtful, data-informed perspectives. They have great chemistry, and they’re not afraid to roast each other.

As lawmakers, regulators call for social media companies to do more to protect the mental health of their youngest users, teens’ perception of social media also seems to be changing. A growing number of teens say that social media is harmful and takes up too much of their time, according to a new report from Pew Research.

The report, which was based on a survey of 1,391 teens and parents in the United States, sheds light on how teens’ perspective on social media has changed amid increasing calls to hold online platforms accountable for the alleged harms they’ve done to their youngest users.

According to the report, 48 percent of teens now view social media as a “mostly negative” influence on other people their age. That’s a significant jump from the last time Pew polled teens on the question in 2022, when just under a third of teens said the same. The number of teens who view social media as “mostly positive” also decreased, from 24 percent in 2022 to 11 percent in the latest poll. “Teens’ views of the impact of social media on their peers has grown increasingly negative,” Pew’s researchers note.

Interestingly, teens are significantly less likely to report that social media is harmful to themselves specifically. Only 14 percent of teens polled by Pew reported that social media “negatively affects them personally.” Pew’s researchers don’t speculate on the reason for that disparity, though the report notes that there have been growing conversations about the effect social media has on teen mental health, including a warning last year from the US Surgeon General.

Pew’s report also suggests that teens are becoming increasingly aware of how much time they spend on social media platforms. Forty-five percent of teens said they “spend too much time” on social media, up from 27 percent who said the same in 2023. A similar proportion of teens said that social media negatively affects their sleep (45 percent) and productivity (40 percent). And 44 percent of teens report that they’ve “cut back” their smartphone and social media use overall.

While this report is unlikely to settle the long-running debate about whether social media is more helpful or harmful to young people, the fact that teens’ views are shifting is telling. At a time when some lawmakers have proposed banning younger kids from social media altogether, Pew’s report suggests that adults aren’t the only ones worried about the issue.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/teens-are-becoming-more-worried-about-the-effects-of-social-media-113027657.html?src=rss

For a quarter-century, dating back to my time as a budding space enthusiast, I’ve watched with a keen eye each time people have ventured into space.

That’s 162 human spaceflight missions since the beginning of 2000, ranging from Space Shuttle flights to Russian Soyuz missions, Chinese astronauts’ first forays into orbit, and commercial expeditions on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule. Yes, I’m also counting privately funded suborbital hops launched by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic.

Last week, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin captured headlines—though not purely positive—with the launch of six women, including pop star Katy Perry, to an altitude of 66 miles (106 kilometers). The capsule returned to the ground 10 minutes and 21 seconds later. It was the first all-female flight to space since Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.

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After that whole tariff tango, Nintendo is readying its North American pre-order system for the Switch 2. The original Switch 2 price will remain the same, $450, as will the original $500 for the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle. However, some Switch 2 accessories will receive price adjustments due to “market conditions.”

(As a non-North American, I may have splurged on the Piranha Plant Switch 2 camera — I have no regrets.)

Hori

There are some fine-print details attached to pre-ordering directly from Nintendo. You must be 18 years or older, sign in with your Nintendo account and register your interest in pre-ordering. Then, you’ll get an invitation email when it’s time to play your pre-order, and the invitation will be valid for 72 hours. And for extra jeopardy: “Invitation emails will be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis for registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025.”

If you don’t meet those criteria of die-hard/flush with cash Nintendo fan, there are other options: Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and Target have confirmed they’ll open pre-orders on April 24.

— Mat Smith

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Bluesky is getting an official verification system

And blue checkmarks.

Bluesky is adopting an official verification system, after all. The company said it plans to grant blue checkmarks to “authentic and notable” accounts. It will also allow some trusted organizations to verify users.

The platform previously resisted centralized verification, relying instead on a domain-based verification system, which allows users to change their handles to match domains they’re associated with.

It’s a bit of a mess. For example, when Barack Obama joined Bluesky recently, his handle did not use a custom domain. Individual Bluesky employees ended up publicly vouching for the former president.

The company will now proactively verify certain accounts and add a prominent blue checkmark to their profile. It’s still not clear what criteria Bluesky will use to verify its users.

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Nintendo is going after the person behind last year’s massive Pokémon leak

It wants Discord to give up the user’s identity.

Nintendo

Nintendo is going after the leaker behind last year’s massive Pokémon data breach. It wants Discord to reveal the identity of the person behind the leak, who goes by the name GameFreakOUT on the platform. Nintendo said in a subpoena the person uploaded “confidential materials not released to the public” to a Discord server called FreakLeak. After that, the leaked materials spread to every corner of the internet.

It included early character designs, source codes and even an upcoming Pokémon MMO.

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Using generative AI will ‘neither help nor harm the chances’ of Oscar nominations

Both The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez came under fire for using AI.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided AI is fine. The issue of award-nominated films using AI was first raised in 2024 when the productions behind Best Picture nominees The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez both admitted to using the tech to alter performances. “With regard to Generative Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools used in the making of the film, the tools neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination,” AMPAS writes.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-112038131.html?src=rss

Uber Shuttle is expanding to Atlanta. This is the company’s bus service that takes people to airports. Shuttle operations will launch in the region next month, delivering folks to and from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

There will be numerous routes for residents to choose from. Uber says it’ll be picking people up from various locations throughout downtown and midtown, with service scheduled for every 30 minutes from 6AM to 10PM every day of the week. As previously mentioned, these shuttles will also take folks from the airport to the same locations.

We don’t know the exact location of the stops yet. Uber says it’ll share that information closer to launch in May. We do know that riders will be able to book up to five seats at a time from up to one week before the departure. As usual, customers will be able to track the real-time location of their Uber Shuttle via the app.

The fare will also be displayed on the app and the company promises it won’t use surge pricing. Early users will pay just ten bucks to use the service, but the cost will eventually go up. Uber says prices will, however, max out at $18.50 per ride. Uber Shuttle has been operating in NYC for a while now, with service to both LaGuardia and JFK.

Uber

Uber also released a bit of news regarding a partnership with Delta. This allows folks to rack up Delta SkyMiles by using Uber. The partnership even extends to Uber Eats.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/uber-shuttle-is-launching-at-the-atlanta-airport-110018400.html?src=rss

An anonymous reader quotes a report from MIT Technology Review: Arete Glacier Initiative has raised $5 million to improve forecasts of sea-level rise and explore the possibility of refreezing glaciers in place.
Off one atoll, just south of the Maldives’ capital, Male, researchers are testing one way to capture sand in strategic locations — to grow islands, rebuild beaches, and protect coastal communities from sea-level rise. Swim 10 minutes out into the En’boodhoofinolhu Lagoon and you’ll find the Ramp Ring, an unusual structure made up of six tough-skinned geotextile bladders. These submerged bags, part of a recent effort called the Growing Islands project, form a pair of parentheses separated by 90meters (around 300 feet). The bags, each about two meters tall, were deployed in December 2024, and by February, underwater images showed that sand had climbed about a meter and a half up the surface of each one, demonstrating how passive structures can quickly replenish beaches and, in time, build a solid foundation for new land. “There’s just a ton of sand in there. It’s really looking good,” says Skylar Tibbits, an architect and founder of the MIT Self-Assembly Lab, which is developing the project in partnership with the Male-based climate tech company Invena.

The Self-Assembly Lab designs material technologies that can be programmed to transform or “self-assemble” in the air or underwater, exploiting natural forces like gravity, wind, waves, and sunlight. Its creations include sheets of wood fiber that form into three-dimensional structures when splashed with water, which the researchers hope could be used for tool-free flat-pack furniture.Growing Islands is their largest-scale undertaking yet. Since 2017, the project has deployed 10 experiments in the Maldives, testing different materials, locations, and strategies, including inflatable structures and mesh nets. The Ramp Ring is many times larger than previous deployments and aims to overcome their biggest limitation.

In the Maldives, the direction of the currents changes with the seasons. Past experiments have been able to capture only one seasonal flow, meaning they lie dormant for months of the year. By contrast, the Ramp Ring is “omnidirectional,” capturing sand year-round. “It’s basically a big ring, a big loop, and no matter which monsoon season and which wave direction, it accumulates sand in the same area,” Tibbits says. The approach points to a more sustainable way to protect the archipelago, whose growing population is supported by an economy that caters to 2 million annual tourists drawn by its white beaches and teeming coral reefs. Most of the country’s 187 inhabited islands have already had some form of human intervention to reclaim land or defend against erosion, such as concrete blocks, jetties, and breakwaters.

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Researchers have uncovered a new supply chain attack called Slopsquatting, where threat actors exploit hallucinated, non-existent package names generated by AI coding tools like GPT-4 and CodeLlama. These believable yet fake packages, representing almost 20% of the samples tested, can be registered by attackers to distribute malicious code. CSO Online reports: Slopsquatting, as researchers are calling it, is a term first coined by Seth Larson, a security developer-in-residence at Python Software Foundation (PSF), for its resemblance to the typosquatting technique. Instead of relying on a user’s mistake, as in typosquats, threat actors rely on an AI model’s mistake. A significant number of packages, amounting to 19.7% (205,000 packages), recommended in test samples were found to be fakes. Open-source models — like DeepSeek and WizardCoder — hallucinated more frequently, at 21.7% on average, compared to the commercial ones (5.2%) like GPT 4. Researchers found CodeLlama ( hallucinating over a third of the outputs) to be the worst offender, and GPT-4 Turbo ( just 3.59% hallucinations) to be the best performer.

These package hallucinations are particularly dangerous as they were found to be persistent, repetitive, and believable. When researchers reran 500 prompts that had previously produced hallucinated packages, 43% of hallucinations reappeared every time in 10 successive re-runs, with 58% of them appearing in more than one run. The study concluded that this persistence indicates “that the majority of hallucinations are not just random noise, but repeatable artifacts of how the models respond to certain prompts.” This increases their value to attackers, it added. Additionally, these hallucinated package names were observed to be “semantically convincing.” Thirty-eight percent of them had moderate string similarity to real packages, suggesting a similar naming structure. “Only 13% of hallucinations were simple off-by-one typos,” Socket added. The research can found be in a paper on arXiv.org (PDF).

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