SpaceX stock drops Tuesday as tech stocks plunge: What could happen next. SpaceX stock continues to tank on Tuesday. And, for the first time, the stock price for Elon Musk's space exploration company fell below its debut price.However, it's not just SpaceX stock. Tech stocks across the board are falling today. On Tuesday, SpaceX fell...

A massive wave of warm water is making its way across the Pacific Ocean as the newly declared El Nio gets into full swing, satellite images show.The band, called a Kelvin wave, marks a swell of higher-than-average sea levels that stretches hundreds of miles along the equator. The anomaly is caused by warmer waters linked to El Nio the warm phase of a natural climate pattern whose current iteration could become one of the strongest ever recorded.The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite captured the deviations from average sea surface height on June 8. Red areas indicate higher sea surfaces than usual, while blue areas mark areas with lower surface heights. Developed and launched in 2020 by NASA and the European Space Agency and operated by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich measures changes in sea surface height down to fractions of an inch every 10 days.The data complements measurements of sea surface temperature that have shown Pacific waters warming at unpreceded rates over the past several months, leading scientists to declare the start of a new El Nio on June 11. When ocean water warms, it expands and takes up more space. That translates to an increase in the height of the water relative to the satellite and the center of Earth, which is then picked up by the satellite's sensitive equipment. At some points along the equator, sea surfaces are now more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) higher than usual.Kelvin waves like this one form when winds in the western Pacific near the equator weaken and temporarily reverse, blowing from west to east instead of east to west. That lets warm water gradually build up in the east, deepening the layer of warm surface waters and preventing colder waters from rising from below. The wave has now reached the western coast of South America.NASA had already observed a few other Kelvin waves this year, suggesting an El Nio event was soon to follow. In January, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich detected one near Micronesia that dissipated around mid-February. Another emerged in March and elevated sea levels near Peru by mid-May.Related storiesEl Nio is officially here, and will be among the strongest ever recorded, NOAA announcesComing El Nio will be the strongest ever recorded, new forecast predicts'The biggest El Nio event since the 1870s': 'Super' El Nio is now the most likely scenario by the end of this year and the humanitarian cost could be hugeChanges in sea surface temperature or height can alter atmospheric circulation patterns and affect the weather. El Nio often increases rainfall in the southwestern U.S., Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, while rainfall in the western Pacific tends to decrease. The most recent El Nio, which lasted from June 2023 to April 2024, boosted global mean temperatures that made 2024 the hottest year on record and the first to breach the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming limit a guardrail set by the Paris Agreement beyond which the effects of climate change become more and more catastrophic. The June 8 conditions in the western Pacific were similar to those that occurred 1997 during a particularly strong El Nio, according to a statement from NASA. 2026 has seen fewer Kelvin waves so far than 1997, but this years El Nio is still ramping up."For now, it looks like it's going to be a big one more so than I would have said last week but we still need more observations to know what's going to happen," Severine Fournier, a sea level researcher at NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab, said in the statement.How much do you know about our blue planet? Test your terran knowledge with our Earth quiz!

On 17 June at 09:21 local time (13:21 BST, 14:21 CEST) Ariane 6 flight VA269 soared to orbit from Europes Spaceport in French Guiana. 36 satellites for Amazons Leo constellation were placed into their orbit just over an hour after liftoff the eighth successful mission insertion in a row for Europes newest rocket.

Astrophysicists have found what is likely the very first pair of sibling supernova remnants. One is the well-known Jellyfish Nebula, and the other was long thought to be hidden in the bright glare from the Jellyfish. The pair are connected by a bright filament of gas.

We know from the historical record that our ancestors marked time and organized their lives around the changing of the seasons, with major festivals associated with moments such as the height of summer, the harvest, and winter hibernation. As modern paganism celebrates our pre-Christian past and looks to re-embrace ancient traditions, it has developed its own spiritual calendar centered on the solstices and equinoxes and the rhythm of nature. This is known as the Wheel of the Year. Drawn principally from the traditions of Ireland and other Celtic nations, these are the major dates that characterize the pagan Wheel of the Year.Imbolc (February 1/2)Imbolc celebrations in Marsden, West Yorkshire, 2007. Source: Wikimedia CommonsImbolc, the festival traditionally observed on February 1st and 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere, is a Gaelic seasonal festival celebrated between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, marking the transition from winter to spring. As ancient traditions merged into Christianity, it became known as Saint Brigids Day, celebrating the Irish goddess Brigid, who transformed into the patron saint of Ireland. Brigid is a goddess of wisdom, healing, poetry, and protection. Saint Brigid was reportedly a 6th-century abbess of Kildare who gained sainthood, but the two are often impossible to untwine.While Imbolc appears less often in surviving early Irish literature than other festivals, scholars agree that it was a pre-Christian agrarian festival connected to the lambing season and the goddess Brigid. Moder traditions such as weaving Brigids crosses, parading Brdeg dolls, and visiting holy wells probably date to ancient times. Archaeological evidence suggests this date was important as far back as Neolithic times, as tombs aligned with the sun at Imbolc and Samhain have been discovered.Men making St. Brigids crosses in Toome, Co. Antrim, c. early 1900s. Source: Ulster Folk MuseumIn Ireland, many ancient traditions can be seen in Saint Brigid Day celebrations. In County Kerry, the annual Biddys Day Festival has participants in straw hats and masks carrying a Brdeg to secure protection and prosperity, along with folk music, lectures, and cross-weaving workshops, culminating in a torchlit parade. Since 2009, County Louth has hosted the Brigid of Faughart Festival, integrating pilgrimage, poetry, and scholarly reflection on Brigid as saint and goddess. There is also Derrys Imbolc International Music Festival and Marsdens Imbolc Fire Festival, which stages lantern processions and symbolic battles.Ostara (March 20-23)Eostre, by Johannes Gehrts, 1888. Source: Wikimedia CommonsOstara is often credited with being one of the inspirations for Christian Easter. It is the festival of the spring equinox, marking the transition between the depths of winter and the ascent toward summer. The term derives from Jacob Grimms reconstruction of an Old High German form of the Old English ostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess described by Bede as honored with feasts during Eosturmonath, corresponding to April in the Julian calendar.Linguistically linked to east and dawn, Eostre/Ostara symbolizes renewal and the awakening of nature. It is the second spring festival within the Wheel of the Year, the first, Imbolc, celebrating the emergence of the goddess, while at Ostara she matures and unites with the sun god in sacred marriage.Many modern Easter symbols can be linked to Ostara, including eggs and rabbits, which represent fertility. Ostara, when the length of the day and night are in balance, is when the planting season would start in earnest.Beltane (May 1)May Queen at the Beltane Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, 2025. Source: BBCBeltane, the May Day festival, is held on May 1st and marks the onset of summer and occupies the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Also known as Ctshamhain (first of summer), it is referenced in early Irish and Scottish literature and was associated with pastoral practices such as driving cattle to summer pastures.Beltane was marked with protective rituals involving bonfires, as the flames, smoke, and ashes were believed to safeguard people, livestock, and crops. Communities extinguished household fires and rekindled them from the sacred Beltane flame. Cattle were passed between fires to secure blessings, and people often leapt over fires for good luck. Women who wanted to become pregnant would place a cauldron over a fire and jump across it. Children who were conceived at this time of year were said to be special and potentially possess a unique connection to the spiritual realm.Beltane bonfire on the Hill of Uisneach, County Westmeath, Ireland, 2022. Source: Wikimedia CommonsThe 10th-century Sanas Cormaic interprets Beltane as lucky fire or fire of Bel, underscoring its divine associations. Beyond agrarian rites, Beltane celebrated fertility, creativity, and communal joy, expressed through courtship dances, Maypole rituals, and symbolic acts of conception. Other festivities included feasting, offerings to deities, adornment of homes and livestock with yellow May flowers, visits to holy wells, and the use of Beltane dew as beauty products.Litha (June 20-21)Sunrise during summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge, England, 2025. Source: The GuardianLitha, or Midsummer, is celebrated on the summer solstice on the 20th or 21st of June and marks the formal beginning of summer. Modern celebrations draw on various cultural traditions. Among the Celts, hilltop bonfires and dancing were common, with participants leaping through flames for luck and vitality. Other European customs included igniting wheels and rolling them into rivers or lakes, symbolizing solar energy and renewal. The solstice, the longest day of the year, was often interpreted as a cosmic contest between light and darkness.Archaeological evidence demonstrates that the summer solstice has been important since the Neolithic era. Monuments such as Stonehenge in England, Newgrange in Ireland, and Bryn Celli Ddu in Wales were deliberately aligned with sunrises or sunsets on the solstice.Postcard of children from Dyrham School maypole dancing, Gloucestershire, c. 1912. Source: National TrustThe Old English word midsumor attests to its enduring recognition, while Christian reinterpretations frame midsummer fires as symbols of St. John the Baptist and protection against malign forces. Modern observances include gatherings at Stonehenge, herbal rituals using plants such as St. Johns Wort and Lavender, and communal activities that emphasize reverence for natures energy.The name Litha comes from the Anglo-Saxon names for the months of June and July, la, which fall on either side of the solstice.Lughnasadh (August 1)Poster for Lughnasadh music and arts festival 2024, held annually at the Forgan Arts Centre in Newport-on-Tay, Fife, Scotland. Source: Snack MagazineLughnasadh, celebrated on August 1st, is a festival marking the commencement of the harvesting season and was historically celebrated across the British Isles. Positioned between the summer solstice and autumn equinox, it symbolized the first fruits of agricultural labor and the delicate balance between natures bounty and human effort. For agrarian communities, Lughnasadh inaugurated the reaping of corn, a process that continued until Samhain.Rooted in Celtic tradition, the festival celebrates the god Lugh, renowned for mastery of skills and crafts, and commemorates his foster-mother Tailtiu, who, according to legend, died after preparing Ireland for cultivation. Rituals included feasting, athletic contests, storytelling, matchmaking, and offerings, blending solemn remembrance with communal joy.Later, Anglo-Saxon communities observed Lammas, or Loaf Mass, on the same date, a Christianized harvest festival marked by baking bread from the first grain and blessing it within the Church.Mabon (September 21-23)Photograph of the Castle or Pyramid of Kukulcan at Chichen Itza, Mexico, taken in 2025. Source: ChichenItza.comMabon is celebrated around September 2123 in the Northern Hemisphere to coincide with the autumn equinox. It is when communities started collecting fruit, nuts, and grains to store for the colder winter months ahead.While evidence for how the Celts marked Mabon is limited, we know more about other cultures. The Mayans designed Chichen Itz to capture equinoctial sunlight, while Neolithic and Bronze Age communities constructed monuments such as Carin T in Ireland and Mnajdra in Malta to align with sunrise on the equinox.Votive plaque depicting elements of the Eleusinian Mysteries, mid-4th century BC. Source: National Archaeological Museum, Athens, GreeceMythologically, Mabon represents the descent of the Sun King and the Goddesss transformation into her crone aspect, paralleling Persephones journey to the Underworld. The Greek Eleusinian Mysteries similarly underpin life, death, and rebirth, reflecting harvest symbolism.The modern name Mabon was introduced in the 1970s by Aidan Kelly, inspired by Welsh mythology of Mabon ap Modron, Son of the Mother. Contemporary Pagan observances intertwine ancient harvest traditions with modern interpretations, honoring deities, vegetation cycles, and the balance of light and shadow.Samhain (October 31-November 1)Macnas Samhain parade in Dublin, Ireland, 2024. Source: ACM MultimediaPerhaps the most famous sabbat of the Pagan Wheel is Samhain, because it corresponds with the modern festival of Halloween. Samhain festival started at sunset on October 31st and continued throughout November 1st, marking the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter, often described as the darker half of the year.Originating in Ireland, Samhain was widely celebrated across Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, with its Welsh equivalent known as Calan Gaeaf. It functioned both as a pastoral harvest festival and as the Celtic New Year. This was a time when the veil between the worlds was considered at its thinnest, and the chances of supernatural encounters were most likely. Consequently, bonfires were central to celebrations as they were believed to offer protection from the unseen.Archaeological evidence, such as the alignment of Neolithic tombs like the Mound of the Hostages at Tara, suggests its observance predates Celtic culture. Literary sources from the 9th century describe feasts, gatherings, and the opening of burial mounds as portals to the Otherworld.Student Halloween party at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA, c. 1890. Source: USC History Collection, Driehaus Museum, ChicagoAncestors were revered with offerings, while costumes and masks were worn to ward off harmful forces. Later traditions included mumming and guising, first recorded in 16th-century Scotland, spreading back to Ireland before evolving into modern Halloween customs. Mumming and guising involved dressing up in faerie-inspired attire and reciting verse in return for food or other gifts, while some participants would threaten mischievous practical jokes if they did not receive such a reward.Christianity incorporated ancestor veneration into All Saints and All Souls Days, while Irish emigrants carried Samhain-derived practices to America, where they blended with local harvest traditions. Turnip and potato carving developed into pumpkin carving, and mumming and guising became trick or treating, shaping Halloween into a major cultural festival in the United States.Yule (December 20-21)Hkon den Gode og bndene ved blotet p Mre (Hkon the Good and the farmers at the lake on Mre), by Peter Nicolai Arbo, 1860. Source: Wikimedia CommonsYule is a winter festival historically central to the lives of Germanic peoples, later merged with Christmas during Christianization. The term Yule remains in English, Scandinavian, Finnish, and Estonian to denote Christmastide. Several modern customs, including the Yule log, Yule goat, and Yule singing, may derive from older pagan traditions.Yule is attested to in early Germanic calendars, such as the Gothic Fruma Jiuleis (5th6th century AD), and in Bedes 8th-century account of the Anglo-Saxon months geola or giuli. The Saga of Hkon the Good credits King Haakon I of Norway with aligning Yule to Christian Christmas, mandating communal ale feasts as part of the celebration.Winter solstice celebrations at Glastonbury Tor, England, 2024. Source: BBCIn pre-Christian Britain, Druids marked the solstice by cutting mistletoe from sacred oaks, representing life amid winter darkness. They also lit a Yule log, a twelve-day fire to banish evil, ensure luck, and celebrate renewal.Modern pagan traditions interpret Yule diversely, yet Wicca commonly observes it at the winter solstice as the rebirth of the Horned God, representing the newborn sun. Practices range from private rites to coven gatherings, with intentions of peace, harmony, and resilience amid winters symbolic darkness and historical hardship.

The biggest invasion that never happened, the 1940 Operation Sealion, never materialized because the requirements were not met. Why? The Luftwaffes defeat in the Battle of Britain meant air coverage of the Kriegsmarine could not be guaranteed. German air supremacy was necessary for Hitlers legions to land.However, there were many other operations that may have changed the course of the war had they happened. Here are five major operations that were planned but were never carried out.An Early Allied Attack on the Soviet Union: Operation PikeMolotov and Von Ribbentrop in September 1939. Source: Wikimedia Commons / In August 1939, the Soviet Union and Germany signed a Trade Agreement, followed by the non-aggression Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The British and French governments decided Stalin was in cahoots with Hitler. This led to the planning of Operation Pike, a two-part plan to hit the Soviet Union. The first part would be air strikes against the Soviet oil installations in the Caucasus area, like Grozny and processing sites. All strikes would originate from Syria and Iraq.Next, French and British forces would take northern Sweden and Norway. These forces were to confront the Soviets plus seize the valuable Swedish iron ore mines. Operation Pikes planners intended to wreck the Soviet economy and keep Germany from obtaining scarce resources. Eventually, cooler heads saw the absurdity of the plan and canceled it.Frustration: Operation IsabellaFrancisco Franco. Source: Bibliothque et Archives nationales du Qubec / Wikimedia CommonsNazi Germanys relationship with fascist Spain always remained a frustrating one. The largest headache revolved around Spains refusal to join the Axis. So, Hitler ordered Operation Isabella in May 1941. Isabellas operational goals included taking Spain and Portugal. Next, Gibraltar, the Azores, the Canary Islands, and parts of North Africa would be taken. Hitler intended to close the Straits of Gibraltar. This would force British convoys for Egypt and beyond to sail around Africa, taking longer and delivering fewer supplies. Like Operation Pike, Isabella never occurred, showing what Hitler thought strategically.Maltas Removal: Operation HerkulesRadius of action of Allied aircraft from Malta in relation to Axis shipping routes, Summer and Autumn, 1941. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Chapter 14, Playfair, I.S.O. (1956)Operation Herkules, co-planned by Italy and Germany, aimed to remove British presence from Malta, Britains Mediterranean island fortress. This unsinkable base since 1940 had interfered with Axis supply convoys to North Africa. Planning began in mid-1941, and the operation was scheduled for June 1942. Maltas refusal to surrender despite intense bombing raids showed Britains resolve to hold the island. Herkuless two parts comprised two airborne attacks to bypass any defense lines. Once landed, more troops would fly in. Next, two infantry divisions would land and take the rest of the island. Operation Herkules got postponed twice and then canceled in 1942. Allied victory in North Africa ended the need to invade.Potential Problem: Plan RubberSouth Atlantic Air Routes. Source: US Army Corps of EngineersThe December 7 Pearl Harbor attack justifiably made Americans nervous about other potential attacks. The government looked south and saw fascist Brazil. Brazils dictator, Getlio Vargas, refused the US access to Brazilian bases and garrison troops. With a million-plus German expat community, Brazil lay a relatively short distance from the Vichy French African colonies. And a possible invasion route for the Axis.Plan Rubbers objective was to end threats and create air bases for patrol aircraft and an air bridge for American reinforcements to Africa. The plans called for two US divisions to land and seize northeastern Brazil. Existing airbases would be used, and new ones would be built as needed. The US government aimed to create a defensive zone. But, as with the other plans, Plan Rubber never happened. President Roosevelt convinced Vargas to allow American troops and bases in return for protection. The unprovoked sinking of Brazilian ships by Germanys Kriegsmarine made that decision easier, too.East Versus West: Operation UnthinkableUS and Soviet troops in 1945. Source: Wikimedia Commons / TassBefore the end of WWII in Europe, there was major distrust between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. Churchill, an oft-critic of Stalins Eastern European intentions, asked his generals to draw up Operation Unthinkable.Unthinkables first iteration meant a surprise attack on Soviet forces in Germany. The reasoning for a July 1, 1945, attack would be to impose the will of the United States and British Empire. However, the US refused to consider such an attack. Without American forces and assistance, Unthinkable got shelved. The second iteration was considered only a defensive plan, lasting for the duration of the Cold War.

Larian Studios released the final major content patch for Baldur's Gate 3 back in April 2025, but they're not blocking the pipeline of community-made mods. BG3 has an astounding amount of free mods available for download, and Larian has just approved 20 mods for the game's console versions that were originally only available on PC. This includes the half-elf, half-orc subrace, multiple subspecies, and new game modes.

Generally speaking, one does not play fighting games for the sake of story or lore. You play fighting games because you want to fight things, and experience the technical thrill of getting good at doing so. Even so, theres something about fighting games that makes you want to know more about their settings. Why is this person throwing fireballs, why is that guy a robot, why are we fighting in front of a giant evil fetus? You could just say its all set dressing and doesnt matter, but if it didnt matter, why would it even be in the game?

It is hard to believe it has been an entire decade since anime fans last stepped into the shoes of a Time Patroller in the Xenoverse saga, but the long wait is finally nearing its end. And Bandai Namco just caught the entire gaming community off guard today by dropping a special showcase for Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, coming with a glimpse at what lies ahead.

Tender and flavorful.READ MORE...