Solar maximum (and minimum) are terms that describe whether we are at a peak or a trough in the sun’s natural 11-year cycle, and they are determined by counting the number of sunspots visible on the surface of the sun during a given cycle. The most recent minimum occurred in 2008 and the sun is now building toward another maximum–a shift in activity that is very clearly visible here. NASA

“Habitat loss is a strong predictor of bird extinction at local and regional scales,” Terry Sohl, a United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientist and the author of the report said in a statement. “Shifts in species’ ranges over the next several decades will be more dramatic for some bird species than others.” With temperatures expected to rise by 3 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit in the continental United States by 2075, and precipitation patterns expected to shift dramatically, birds will be contending with a lot of environmental factors....

Since then, the USB mic world has exploded with professional models matching or, sometimes, exceeding the elder Yeti. And Blue, which Logitech acquired in 2018, has kept pace, introducing a gang of other Blue Yeti USB microphones for various needs. However, the O.G. Yeti—sporting its standard-setting additions like a headphone output, four pickup patterns, and a sturdy metal stand—is still a great, user-friendly option for new podcasters, streamers, and recording musicians who want a plug-and-play, reliable USB microphone with a proven sound....

Booster shots are inching closer to reality, and a recent study by the CDC has proven the effectiveness of current COVID-19 vaccines in the real world. Vaccine development isn’t over yet, either: Biotech company Novavax is currently trialing a non-mRNA shot in volunteers in the US and Mexico. Here’s what unfolded over the past week. New clinical trial to test Moderna booster shots Though scientists believe that the current mRNA vaccines could provide up to a year of immunity, there is no conclusive evidence yet....

In the latest issue of Genome Research, a group of North American scientists have, for the first time ever, published a full map of the cannabis genome. Among the myriad of interesting insights to glean from the chart is the finding that the genes that encode for THC and CBD production evolved thanks to bits of DNA introduced by viruses that infected the plant and successfully colonized its genome millions of years ago....

Researchers asked 251 vets about the frequency, circumstances, and symptoms of cannabis poisoning (also known as cannabis-induced toxicosis) they’d observed since Canada legalized recreational weed in 2018. The team found that the most common victims of cannabis poisoning were dogs, and edibles were the most commonly suspected cause. The afflicted animals often became very disoriented or lethargic and had abnormally slow heart rates, but most made a complete recovery, the researchers reported on April 20 in the journal PLoS ONE....

Today, however Canon has announced its new EOS R5 and EOS R6 mirrorless cameras, which represent a giant leap into the world of professional and advanced enthusiast shooting. The R5 is essentially the mirrorless 5D for which many shooters have been waiting on—and speculating about—for years. The R5 is now the company’s mirrorless flagship and, at least on paper, it’s one of the most powerful options you can buy. Canon built-in a 45-megapixel sensor that’s related to the chip found inside its pro-grade 1D X Mark III DSLR and paired it with its most powerful image processor....

“Our goal is to eliminate future traffic fatalities and injuries,” Lexus’s Mark Templin said, standing in a press conference room lit like a Virgin cabin. And he believes autonomous–if not fully self-driving–cars are an important step forward. The prototype’s technology is designed to help drivers avoid, or better react to, collisions. That incudes stereo cameras that can sense objects 150 meters away (including the color of a traffic light); GPS antennas that measure the car’s angle and orientation; and 360-degree rooftop laser tracking tech that detects things around the car, up to 70 meters away....

We’re sadly not equipped to see the radio waves floating around our homes carrying that precious wireless internet access, but you can easily check how strong the signal from your router is at various locations. This can be helpful when making sure you’re getting the wireless speeds you’re paying for, but also to set up your devices in optimum locations and identify problems, like a badly positioned fish tank. You can check your wireless strength from any device, and we’ve picked the simplest options in each case....

You might recognize it from the vehicle that brought the Apollo astronauts home. With few exceptions, human spaceflight hasn’t changed much since those days. The Soyuz capsule uses a similar shape today, and SpaceX, Boeing, and NASA are all designing brand new spacecraft with almost the exact same design. All of these vehicles are similar because of three competing variables that spacecraft designers have to contend with: weight, space, and heat....

At Johns Hopkins University, a materials science class took confectionery love to a new level. A microscopic level, that is. With a scanning electron microscope, students zoomed in at magnifications of 400 to 5,000 times and gazed upon an alien world called chocolate, made up of sugar crystals and cocoa butter globules melded together in a bumpy pockmarked surface. The course was a part of a larger effort to engage students in relatable ways to materials sciences....

Check out a selection of the book’s most breathtaking images in PopSci.com’s Gallery: Climate Change Never Looked So Good.

Dig a little deeper into the software and you’ll discover a variety of features and tricks that can make your Android TV experience more useful, more efficient, and more fun. 1. Customize Quick Settings You won’t want to waste valuable TV-watching time working your way through menus and configuration screens, so get fast access to the Android TV settings you use most often by stocking up the Quick Settings panel....

As with all Cyber Monday deals, if you see something that you want to add to your home gym, don’t hesitate when it comes to purchasing. These deals only last until they sell out, which means you could miss it by just a few minutes if you’re slow on the add-to-cart action. Here are some of the most appealing deals on exercise equipment this Cyber Monday. NordicTrack Commercial Studio Cycle $1,499 ($2,199) At $1,499, this certainly isn’t the cheapest device out there, but this iFit-connected ride provides a complete workout that involves pedaling along with other exercises that happen out of the saddle....

But the details are messy. With nine swing states in the mix, there are a total of 2^9 possible outcomes in tomorrow’s election. That’s 512 different possibilities. Which, normally, would be too many to keep track of. But in today’s infographic, visualization all-stars Mike Bostock and Shan Carter boiled the “combinatorial explosion” of possible results down to a simple, interactive flowchart. In a blog post, the designers explained their secret to keeping the chart simple: We settled on a binary tree early on, but it wasn’t until Shan had the idea of collapsing parts of the tree into “decision” nodes that the design clicked....

Located in the Coyote Buttes North area of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, which straddles the Arizona-Utah border, the three-quarter-acre site has more than 1,000, and maybe even thousands, of dinosaur tracks. The tracks were previously believed to be potholes — circular depressions in sandstone caused by erosion — but because of their physical features and the fact that they were concentrated along only one surface, the scientists realized they were actually dinosaur footprints....

The integration, however, goes beyond simply streaming two video feeds back to the user, and DJI has applied some of its consumer-style automated features. For example, you can use its QuickTrack mode to center the picture in a scene or switch to the thermal camera’s HeatTrack mode, which automatically follows the hottest object in its field of view. DJI touts it as a tool for firefighters who can get remote assistance from a pilot in real time, or someone monitoring conditions at a facility like a solar farm....

The violent crimes, which took place from late September to mid-October 2016, were not initially believed to be connected. But investigators determined that multiple shell casings from the bullets fired at all three crime scenes matched up. With no obvious connection between Clements’ murder and the police shootings, detectives sent the shell casings, along with other crime scene evidence, to the forensics lab, where they were able to identify a clear genetic profile left behind on some items....

Continental TerrainContact A/T tire in profile The tire Chris and Larry are tracking coyotes on is the Continental TerrainContact™ A/T, a premium all-terrain, all-season tire designed for crossovers, SUVs, and light-trucks. With the durability to conquer dirt, gravel, and grass, it features TractionPlus Technology, which provides improved traction and durability, better grip on wet roads, and quiet road noise. 

Now, DJI is introducing a non-drone version of the camera. Dubbed the Osmo, it’s a selfie stick. A very short, very steady, selfie stick. Unlike the expandable batons of most camera-holding selfie sticks, the Osmo is just six inches tall. The 12-megapixel camera costs $650, and is mounted on a three-axis gimbal. With a tap of a button it fixes on a point on the horizon, two taps and it fixes on a new point, and three taps turns the camera all the way around for a video selfie....