Latest news with #Neuron
Medical News Today
21-05-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
How does Alzheimer's disease affect the whole body?
Written by Tim Newman on May 21, 2025 — Fact checked by Amanda Ward Research shows that Alzheimer's disease affects many organs beyond the nervous is characterized by a buildup of proteins in the brain, which disrupts their function. A new study in fruit flies shows that these proteins may also significantly impact the functioning of other organs. The researchers also identified mechanisms that might explain how proteins in the brain can have such wide-reaching effects. A new study in fruit flies concludes that proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease not only influence brain health, but also have effects further afield. Specifically, the researchers show that certain Alzheimer's-associated proteins can increase the rate of biological aging and influence fat metabolism and reproduction. They also created an Alzheimer's Disease Fly Cell Atlas (AD-FCA) based on their analysis of 219 cell types in flies that express Alzheimer's-associated proteins in their brains. The results recently appeared in the journal Neuron . Alzheimer's and other dementias are considered diseases of the mind, and for good reason. The primary symptoms are cognitive changes that grow progressively more severe as time goes on. For this reason, much of the research into dementia focuses on the brain and nervous system. However, more recently, scientists have begun exploring Alzheimer's influence on other aspects of the body. The authors of the new study explain how new evidence hints that the effects of Alzheimer's extend beyond the nervous system to other parts of the body. 'For example,' they write, Alzheimer's 'has been associated with disruptions in the gut microbiota, cardiovascular function, and hormone homeostasis.' Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a buildup of faulty proteins in the brain, including amyloid-beta 42 and tau. As they accumulate, they form so-called amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, respectively. These proteins interfere with how neurons work and, eventually, kill them. In their recent study, the researchers used fruit flies. Although fruit flies, as you may have noticed, are quite different from humans, they have already provided many insights into human health. As the researchers write, 'Many molecular pathways are conserved from flies to mammals.' Medical News Today contacted Gurneet Sawhney, MD, chief neurosurgeon and founder at Neurolife Brain and Spine Clinic, who was not involved in the study. We asked about the usefulness of fly models in neuroscience. 'Fruit fly models are surprisingly valuable in dementia research. While they may seem simplistic,' he explained, 'they allow us to study the effects of tau and amyloid at a genetic and cellular level, with faster results and lower complexity than mammalian models.' 'They've helped us uncover fundamental mechanisms of neurodegeneration that often translate into mammalian systems later,' he said. In the current experiment, the scientists used flies with either amyloid or tau buildup and compared them with control flies without protein buildup. The researchers employed a technique called whole-organism single-nucleus RNA sequencing . In a nutshell, this involves analyzing genetic information from cell nuclei to discover which genes are turned 'on' in specific cell types. The authors investigated the impact of tau and amyloid on a range of cell types throughout the flies' bodies. First, they examined the cells of the nervous system, including brain cells, nerve cells in their body, and glial cells (support cells for neurons). They found that amyloid resulted in the loss of many types of these cells compared with tau and control flies. In particular, cells involved with the senses, such as vision, hearing, and smell, were impacted most severely. Interestingly, loss of smell is an early sign of Alzheimer's in humans. When investigating the mechanism responsible for neuronal cell death, the researchers identified a cluster of neuronal cells that expressed lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). We asked Sawhney why this matters: 'LDH plays a role in cellular energy metabolism,' he explained, 'and its dysregulation can indicate tissue stress or damage. In the context of dementia, abnormal LDH activity might reflect broader metabolic dysfunction.' Importantly, the scientists also identified increased levels of LDH in the brain tissue from humans with Alzheimer's but not those without the condition. According to Sawhney, this increased LDH may 'link neurodegeneration with systemic effects, as this study hints.' The scientists also showed that cells with elevated LDH had changes in genes that control mitochondrial functions. This is important because mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to oxidative stress, which is an early feature of Alzheimer's in humans. Next, the scientists moved their attention to the effects of Alzheimer's proteins on cells other than those of the nervous system. This time, it was tau that produced the most significant changes. The cell types that were most affected were those involved in fat metabolism, digestion, and reproduction. According to the authors, 'The fly fat body is a central storage depot of nutrients and energy reserves.' It carries out a similar role to the liver, immune system, and fat tissue in mammals. They found that fat droplets in tau flies are large early on, but become smaller and more fragmented as the disease progresses. The researchers then looked at fat cells in a mouse model of Alzheimer's — the equivalent of the fly's fat droplets. Again, they found oversized fat cells initially, which grew smaller as the disease progressed. Aside from changes in fat metabolism, the researchers noted changes in the behaviour of cells in the gut. In line with this, studies in mice have also shown that tau induces gut degeneration . Finally, neuronal tau was associated with a reduced ability to reproduce in male flies. In concordance with this, studies show that a decline in sex hormones is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's in humans. According to the authors, changes in fat metabolism, digestion, and reproduction are associated with aging. So, the authors hypothesize that tau's presence in neurons may increase the speed of aging throughout the rest of the body. By measuring gene expression and molecular markers associated with fly aging, the scientists found that tau flies, but not amyloid or control flies, aged more quickly. Overall, they conclude that 'Tau expression has a broad impact on peripheral tissues and induces an accelerated aging phenotype.' To understand how tau in neurons has such wide-ranging effects on the body, the scientists used cell-cell communication analysis, which can identify changes in how the brain communicates with the body. Compared with amyloid and control flies, tau flies demonstrated thousands of differences in these communication pathways. The cell types showing the greatest differences, once again, were involved with fat metabolism, digestion, and reproduction. These results suggest that tau in the brain can influence cells in the rest of the body by interfering with brain-body communication. Investigating further, they found that in neurons containing tau, there were changes in the gene expression that affected how synapses — the junction between nerve cells — are organized. There were also increased levels of synaptic boutons in the gut of tau flies. The synaptic boutons are swellings on nerves at the synapse that contain neurotransmitters, which pass information from one neuron to another. In other words, tau in brain cells can influence not only how neurons work and develop within the brain but also how effectively they communicate with more distant tissues. Overall, the scientists conclude that while amyloid and tau are both toxic, their effects are distinct: Amyloid predominantly affects neurons, and tau has a more widespread impact on the body. They also found that LDH is elevated in amyloid flies, as well as in mice and humans with Alzheimer's. They believe this should be an area for future research, as LDH could perhaps be used as an early biomarker for Alzheimer's. Research on flies is an important first step in scientific research; it provides direction for future studies on other animals and, eventually, humans. While we need to interpret the results with caution, taken together, they provide new insights into the widespread effects of Alzheimer's-associated proteins. 'The focus on the peripheral effects of tau and amyloid stands out in this study,' Sawhney told MNT . 'We often think of these proteins as brain-specific problems, but this work highlights how their impact may extend beyond the central nervous system. That's an important shift in perspective for understanding the full systemic nature of dementia.' — Gurneet Sawhney, MD Alzheimer's / Dementia Neurology / Neuroscience
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
j-hope of BTS on his Billboard success and becoming the first solo Korean artist to headline BMO Stadium
You would think most people would need a break after spending 18 months in the military. But most people aren't international pop stars such as Jung Ho-seok, better known as j-hope of BTS. It seemed like the international pop icon had barely changed out of his uniform in October of last year before he was boarding a plane to Los Angeles, ready to work on new material. It would be his first release since his critically acclaimed 2022 grunge-rock-meets boom bap hip-hop debut album 'Jack in the Box.' Although 'Jack in the Box' was his first official album, his solo discography goes back further to "1 Verse," his 2015 SoundCloud release which sampled The Game and Skrillex's 'El Chapo' released that same year. The 2016 BTS album "Wings" was the first to feature solo works from all seven members. Up until then, the focus had been on j-hope's swaggy, growling, rap delivery (he is undeniably BTS's swagmaster) and dance ability rooted in his early days as a member of the Gwangju, South Korea-based Neuron dance crew. With 'MAMA' his solo effort contribution to Wings, he stretched himself as a vocalist leveraging the soulful qualities of his voice in a tribute to his mother. 2018 marked another turning point when he released 'Hope World,' a six-track mix-tape. The following year, j-hope released 'Chicken Noodle Soup.' Although the bouncy hip-hop track sampled a 2006 song by New York artists DJ Webstar and Young B, it featured Inglewood-raised vocalist Becky G and lyrics in Korean, English and Spanish. So it seemed fitting when he took a trip to L.A. to film its music video, with members of the L.A. dance community, performing its choreography in front of local joint Chicken Shack's signature yellow car. Since his group announced a temporary hiatus in 2022 to focus on solo work — based on the Western idea of boy bands this worried fans that they were breaking up (they're not) — all of the members have released albums, to individual success, and even pre-recorded projects to be released during their departure. While still in service, j-hope released 'Hope on the Street: Vol. 1,' a soundtrack to his documentary series of the same name in which he explored street dance in different cities across the world. On that album, he worked with L.A.-based Benny Blanco and Blake Slatkin, two producers he turned to once again for his latest releases 'Sweet Dreams' (featuring Miguel) and his latest, the catchy, viral dance-inducing hit 'Mona Lisa.' In January, j-hope announced his Hope On The Stage tour, his first as a soloist with North American dates in Brooklyn, Chicago, Mexico City, San Antonio and Oakland. The tour is divided into sections spanning the narrative of his career. The production includes a live band, and uses 28 moving lifts that reconfigure depending on the stage. Both 'Sweet Dreams' and 'Mona Lisa' were surprisingly played on tour, and a third single is planned for the Asian leg, which kicks off in the Phillipines on April 12. Each stop has included tailored engagement with "ARMY," BTS's famously diverse and passionate fandom. The experiences span regional food, site specific merchandise, some designed with input by the famously fashion-forward artist, and dance challenges. Fans also had the option to purchase a package where they could 'send off' j-hope. Read more: Boundary-pushing K-pop superstar Taemin is 'grateful but still hungry' to take the genre to greater heights As the tour has gone along, Instagram's "For You" pages have steadily yielded selfies with the famously upbeat star and cute interactions. With each successive city he seems to up the ante: dancing in cowboy hats and boots in San Antonio, speaking full sentences in Spanish in Mexico, even getting close enough at points to exchange hugs and hold hands. Ahead of the last stops of the tour's North American dates, Friday and Sunday at BMO Stadium, The Times caught up with the global star nearby the stadium downtown. In an intimate post-photo shoot conversation squeezed in between his promotional events on Thursday (he popped up at that night's Lakers game shortly after), we talked about his relationship with the city, his artistry, love for ARMY and future ambitions. Congratulations—"Mona Lisa" is in the Billboard Hot 100 as of this week and it's your seventh song as a solo artist to reach that milestone. Wow. You're tied with Jung Kook. [laughs] It's such an honor to have so many of my songs on the chart, and I'm incredibly grateful in so many ways. I've come to realize how many people are loving and connecting with my music, and at the same time, that pushes me to think about what kind of music I should create next as an artist. I feel that my life at the moment is filled with greater anticipation and excitement for what's to come. With 'Jack in the Box' you weren't necessarily concerned about charting, but you seem more ambitious with these releases. Is that true? Yes, you're very on point. I feel like this was a challenge that I needed to take on after my military service. And up until now, I focused on what I liked, but this time, I wanted to collaborate with great producers who have a deeper understanding of the culture. I was curious about their take on j-hope as an artist. Once I took that step forward, I felt it would open up new opportunities for me to experiment and take my music to the next level. I truly feel this is a great time for me. "Jack in the Box" was incredible but 'Sweet Dreams' and 'Mona Lisa' have a different kind of sexy vibe and the ARMY is loving it. Have you been enjoying the response? Well, you know I didn't have too much of this on my mind when I was making these songs but I wanted to make a song that kind of expressed my maturity after the military service. So, it kind of came naturally. So, I wanted to show another visual side of me as j-hope and I want to show something new, a new facet of me for my fans. Can we talk about Jay? Jay? [laughs] Yes, ARMY calls. It's been kind of a fun thing between you and U.S. ARMY that you kind of turn into 'Jay' when you land in the U.S. How would you describe him? You know, I find it very funny too. I love the vibe in the U.S. I'm enjoying myself and having fun, and because of that, it allows me to show a more genuine side. Fans really seem to like it too and so I feel great about what I've been able to share here in the States. You seem to be having the time of your life on this tour. You're interacting with the fans a lot more on a personal level, going out into the audience when you perform '=Equal Sign' picking someone [to interact with]. Has one of those moments stood out to you? I think you know me inside out by now and I really appreciate that. I wanted to show something great for the fans who've been waiting for such a long time and I wanted to connect at a very personal level through these concerts and performances. There's a song called '=Equal Sign.' and its first lyric is about how we view each other as equals — 'There is no one above us/There is no one under us.' Staying true to that message, instead of me being on stage on a higher level with the audience below, I wanted to truly connect with my fans by engaging with them directly and seeing them eye-to-eye. This connection with my fans has been incredibly meaningful. With these upcoming performances you become the first solo Korean artist to headline BMO Stadium (he is also the first Korean male artist to headline a stadium show in North America). Do you think the Jung Ho-seok of 2013 who seemed surprised to even receive a packet of fan mail could have envisioned this? Of course I could not have imagined back then that I would have this kind of life and I really appreciate what I have currently. As time passes by, I'm really grateful to see more and more people listening to and enjoying my music. I feel like it's their support and passion that allow me to be the artist I am today. "Hope on the Stage" in part, is a tribute to your origins as a street dancer but you also do a lot of singing [in the show] with a live band. You've downplayed your vocal ability a little bit, but you have a great voice that's really flexible. When did you first realize that you can sing? Was it a natural extension of rapping? It's an interesting question. As I pursue music, I think I've developed a style that embraces versatility. Throughout this process, I tried to explore and experiment with my voice in various ways and I believe that's reflected in my vocals nowadays. I try to deliver my vocals in a natural way without forcing anything and it seems like the audience appreciates that. Are my vocals perfect? That's something I need to think about, but I'm committed and striving to make it better. It's a bit hard to pinpoint a specific moment. Before my debut, I had vocal lessons and as I started recording, my vocal style naturally began to develop. It's difficult to say exactly when the shift occurred, but it was a gradual process. Read more: Babymonster discusses debut world tour, working with G-Dragon and the success of album 'Drip' While working here you went to In-N-Out, and had all the 'L.A.' experiences. In the early days of BTS you filmed a reality show where you were mentored by Warren G and Coolio — they even took you to Long Beach's VIP Records… You watched this — wow [laughs]. Yeah…[laughs] American Hustle Life. Is there something you learned about hip-hop from that experience that you keep with you today? It was more than just a musical influence. I was very young at that time, and if I had the chance to go back now, I think I could understand and take in a lot more. At the time, though, it was a process to adapt to a new culture, different from the one I grew up in. And I believe that those moments were crucial for my growth and shaped who I am today. That's the most important lesson I took from that experience. Rest in peace, Coolio. Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
j-hope of BTS on his Billboard success and becoming the first solo Korean artist to headline BMO Stadium
You would think most people would need a break after spending 18 months in the military. But most people aren't international pop stars such as Jung Ho-seok, better known as j-hope of BTS. It seemed like the international pop icon had barely changed out of his uniform in October of last year before he was boarding a plane to Los Angeles, ready to work on new material. It would be his first release since his critically acclaimed 2022 grunge-rock-meets boom bap hip-hop debut album 'Jack in the Box.' Although 'Jack in the Box' was his first official album, his solo discography goes back further to '1 Verse,' his 2015 SoundCloud release which sampled The Game and Skrillex's 'El Chapo' released that same year. The 2016 BTS album 'Wings' was the first to feature solo works from all seven members. Up until then, the focus had been on j-hope's swaggy, growling, rap delivery (he is undeniably BTS's swagmaster) and dance ability rooted in his early days as a member of the Gwangju, South Korea-based Neuron dance crew. With 'MAMA' his solo effort contribution to Wings, he stretched himself as a vocalist leveraging the soulful qualities of his voice in a tribute to his mother. 2018 marked another turning point when he released 'Hope World,' a six-track mix-tape. The following year, j-hope released 'Chicken Noodle Soup.' Although the bouncy hip-hop track sampled a 2006 song by New York artists DJ Webstar and Young B, it featured Inglewood-raised vocalist Becky G and lyrics in Korean, English and Spanish. So it seemed fitting when he took a trip to L.A. to film its music video, with members of the L.A. dance community, performing its choreography in front of local joint Chicken Shack's signature yellow car. Since his group announced a temporary hiatus in 2022 to focus on solo work — based on the Western idea of boy bands this worried fans that they were breaking up (they're not) — all of the members have released albums, to individual success, and even pre-recorded projects to be released during their departure. While still in service, j-hope released 'Hope on the Street: Vol. 1,' a soundtrack to his documentary series of the same name in which he explored street dance in different cities across the world. On that album, he worked with L.A.-based Benny Blanco and Blake Slatkin, two producers he turned to once again for his latest releases 'Sweet Dreams' (featuring Miguel) and his latest, the catchy, viral dance-inducing hit 'Mona Lisa.' In January, j-hope announced his Hope On The Stage tour, his first as a soloist with North American dates in Brooklyn, Chicago, Mexico City, San Antonio and Oakland. The tour is divided into sections spanning the narrative of his career. The production includes a live band, and uses 28 moving lifts that reconfigure depending on the stage. Both 'Sweet Dreams' and 'Mona Lisa' were surprisingly played on tour, and a third single is planned for the Asian leg, which kicks off in the Phillipines on April 12. Each stop has included tailored engagement with 'ARMY,' BTS's famously diverse and passionate fandom. The experiences span regional food, site specific merchandise, some designed with input by the famously fashion-forward artist, and dance challenges. Fans also had the option to purchase a package where they could 'send off' j-hope. As the tour has gone along, Instagram's 'For You' pages have steadily yielded selfies with the famously upbeat star and cute interactions. With each successive city he seems to up the ante: dancing in cowboy hats and boots in San Antonio, speaking full sentences in Spanish in Mexico, even getting close enough at points to exchange hugs and hold hands. Ahead of the last stops of the tour's North American dates, Friday and Sunday at BMO Stadium, The Times caught up with the global star nearby the stadium downtown. In an intimate post-photo shoot conversation squeezed in between his promotional events on Thursday (he popped up at that night's Lakers game shortly after), we talked about his relationship with the city, his artistry, love for ARMY and future ambitions. Congratulations—'Mona Lisa' is in the Billboard Hot 100 as of this week and it's your seventh song as a solo artist to reach that milestone. Wow. You're tied with Jung Kook. [laughs] It's such an honor to have so many of my songs on the chart, and I'm incredibly grateful in so many ways. I've come to realize how many people are loving and connecting with my music, and at the same time, that pushes me to think about what kind of music I should create next as an artist. I feel that my life at the moment is filled with greater anticipation and excitement for what's to come. With 'Jack in the Box' you weren't necessarily concerned about charting, but you seem more ambitious with these releases. Is that true? Yes, you're very on point. I feel like this was a challenge that I needed to take on after my military service. And up until now, I focused on what I liked, but this time, I wanted to collaborate with great producers who have a deeper understanding of the culture. I was curious about their take on j-hope as an artist. Once I took that step forward, I felt it would open up new opportunities for me to experiment and take my music to the next level. I truly feel this is a great time for me. 'Jack in the Box' was incredible but 'Sweet Dreams' and 'Mona Lisa' have a different kind of sexy vibe and the ARMY is loving it. Have you been enjoying the response? Well, you know I didn't have too much of this on my mind when I was making these songs but I wanted to make a song that kind of expressed my maturity after the military service. So, it kind of came naturally. So, I wanted to show another visual side of me as j-hope and I want to show something new, a new facet of me for my fans. Can we talk about Jay? Jay? [laughs] Yes, ARMY calls. It's been kind of a fun thing between you and U.S. ARMY that you kind of turn into 'Jay' when you land in the U.S. How would you describe him? You know, I find it very funny too. I love the vibe in the U.S. I'm enjoying myself and having fun, and because of that, it allows me to show a more genuine side. Fans really seem to like it too and so I feel great about what I've been able to share here in the States. You seem to be having the time of your life on this tour. You're interacting with the fans a lot more on a personal level, going out into the audience when you perform '=Equal Sign' picking someone [to interact with]. Has one of those moments stood out to you? I think you know me inside out by now and I really appreciate that. I wanted to show something great for the fans who've been waiting for such a long time and I wanted to connect at a very personal level through these concerts and performances. There's a song called '=Equal Sign.' and its first lyric is about how we view each other as equals — 'There is no one above us/There is no one under us.' Staying true to that message, instead of me being on stage on a higher level with the audience below, I wanted to truly connect with my fans by engaging with them directly and seeing them eye-to-eye. This connection with my fans has been incredibly meaningful. With these upcoming performances you become the first solo Korean artist to headline BMO Stadium (he is also the first Korean male artist to headline a stadium show in North America). Do you think the Jung Ho-seok of 2013 who seemed surprised to even receive a packet of fan mail could have envisioned this? Of course I could not have imagined back then that I would have this kind of life and I really appreciate what I have currently. As time passes by, I'm really grateful to see more and more people listening to and enjoying my music. I feel like it's their support and passion that allow me to be the artist I am today. 'Hope on the Stage' in part, is a tribute to your origins as a street dancer but you also do a lot of singing [in the show] with a live band. You've downplayed your vocal ability a little bit, but you have a great voice that's really flexible. When did you first realize that you can sing? Was it a natural extension of rapping? It's an interesting question. As I pursue music, I think I've developed a style that embraces versatility. Throughout this process, I tried to explore and experiment with my voice in various ways and I believe that's reflected in my vocals nowadays. I try to deliver my vocals in a natural way without forcing anything and it seems like the audience appreciates that. Are my vocals perfect? That's something I need to think about, but I'm committed and striving to make it better. It's a bit hard to pinpoint a specific moment. Before my debut, I had vocal lessons and as I started recording, my vocal style naturally began to develop. It's difficult to say exactly when the shift occurred, but it was a gradual process. While working here you went to In-N-Out, and had all the 'L.A.' experiences. In the early days of BTS you filmed a reality show where you were mentored by Warren G and Coolio — they even took you to Long Beach's VIP Records… You watched this — wow [laughs]. Yeah…[laughs] American Hustle Life. Is there something you learned about hip-hop from that experience that you keep with you today? It was more than just a musical influence. I was very young at that time, and if I had the chance to go back now, I think I could understand and take in a lot more. At the time, though, it was a process to adapt to a new culture, different from the one I grew up in. And I believe that those moments were crucial for my growth and shaped who I am today. That's the most important lesson I took from that experience. Rest in peace, Coolio.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Driver returns to find car in wild parking predicament ahead of Cyclone Alfred
As millions scramble to make last-minute preparations ahead of Cyclone Alfred's imminent landfall, viral footage has captured the moment a man returned to his parked car in a Brisbane alleyway, only to find it completely blocked in by an army of e-scooters packed in like sardines. Thousands of the devices were neatly packed into the alleyway in the city's CBD, in an apparent bid to shelter them from the incoming category two storm. Unfortunately for one unlucky driver, this meant his car was completely wedged between rows upon rows of Lime and Neuron scooters, leaving the vehicle trapped. In a scene reminiscent of real-life Tetris, footage captured the man painstakingly moving each scooter one by one, carefully clearing a path to freedom. Eventually, thanks to the help a companion, and after a significant period of time, the man eventually was able to free his car and drive off. Online, amused Aussies applauded the man's efforts and patience. "He's out here playing Frogger, dodging scooters like it's an Olympic sport, just trying to reverse his way to freedom," the caption read when the video was shared by the Brisbane Instagram account. "Someone give this man a medal, or at least a free ride credit." Despite the efforts to shelter the scooters from the imminent heavy winds, some Aussies argued "they will be heavy projectiles" as the weather worsens. Yahoo News has reached out to the City of Brisbane Council as well as Lime and Neuron scooters for clarification over who was responsible for the scene. Meanwhile, residents in Queensland's south-east and NSW's north are bracing for Cyclone Alfred's impact, which is expected to smash the coast early on Saturday morning. Residents of 7,000 homes in Lismore have been given just hours to evacuate, in areas that were devastated in the 2022 floods. Public transport and schools have been closed in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with expectations that winds and heavy rain will intensify over the 24 hours before Alfred finally hits the mainland. Authorities in Queensland are warning people to stay away from the beaches as massive waves pound the coast. Parts of northern NSW have already been experienced intense rainfall, with 200mm recorded at Dorigo and 170mm at Mullumbimby. In some parts, an incredible 700mm is expected. Evacuation orders were issued to residents throughout the Northern Rivers region of NSW with people told to take refuge with family or friends, or evacuation centres by 9pm on Thursday. Residents turn to Bunnings hacks in frenzied preparation for Cyclone Alfred 'well and truly' felt as landfall nears Large roadside devices pop up as city prepares for Alfred A jet skier has been reported missing, as authorities beg surfers and sightseers to stay off the beaches. Incredible images taken on Thursday afternoon showed Gold Coast residents sprinting for cover as heavy rainfall and winds began to lash the area. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @BRISBANE (@brisbane) Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Yahoo
Best Desktop Computer for 2025: Top Picks for Macs and PCs
Desktop PCs still pass through the CNET Labs occasionally, but laptops occupy most of our editors' time and effort with CNET's hands-on reviews. Because we test far more laptops than desktops, some of our current desktop recommendations are based on previous versions that we tested and reviewed. We also have general PC configuration suggestions that we haven't specifically tested but are based on our experience with similarly configured computers. These guidelines should be helpful if you're looking for the best value when customizing a PC to order. The best desktop for most people is Apple's new M4-based iMac. It integrates the display and offers everything you could want in an all-in-one. For a reasonable sum, the iMac provides a fantastic design centered on a high-resolution, 24-inch display powered by Apple's new M4 processor. Performance from Apple's latest silicon is, without a doubt, impressive on all counts. If you need more screen space than you'd get with a laptop, the 24-inch iMac gives you added room on which to work and play. Yet, with its compact design and power cable that magnetically pops into place, the iMac is easy to relocate from room to room. The computer is also available in seven fun colors with accessories to match. If you're looking for a traditional tower desktop or a small-form-factor PC instead of an all-in-one like the iMac, then keep reading because we also have recommendations for those. We'll update this best desktop computer list periodically. If you're dissatisfied with the lack of configuration options available for prebuilt gaming desktops, going with a custom builder is the best way to sate your appetite. The cost of a custom-configured system that's fully decked out might be too costly for PC users. Many people don't need everything maxed out, even for gaming, but you can get reasonable configurations for about half the price of the $5,000-plus system we tested. Origin PC builds good, solid systems. Unless you're looking for something dirt cheap, you'll be able to put together something you like at a price you can tolerate. Origin's Neuron series starts at around $2,000, and the high-end Genesis line begins at roughly double that. A pre-configured Origin Genesis 5000D, for example, costs $5,611 and features a Core i9-14900K, 64GB of RAM and GeForce RTX 4090 graphics. See at Origin The Mac Pro has long been the top dog in Apple's computer lineup but starts at a whopping $6,999. By comparison, the mainstream Mac Studio is far more affordable, starting at a reasonable $1,999. The baseline Mac Studio model features Apple's M2 Max processor, 32GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The step-up $3,999 model bumps you up to the more powerful M2 Ultra chip while doubling the RAM and SSD capacity. Either model is essentially a Mac Mini on steroids, and for anyone who doesn't want to shell out for a Mac Pro, it's a great pick for running creative-centric Mac apps, including animation, graphics, video-editing and audio-editing software. Be aware, however, that the Mac Studio is expected to get an M4 update sometime next year. See at Best Buy The review process for desktops consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features with respect to price. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments. We test all desktops with a core set of benchmarks, including Primate Labs Geekbench 5 and 6, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10, a variety of 3DMark benchmarks (whichever can run on the desktop), UL Procyon Photo and Video (where supported), and our own battery life test. If a desktop is intended for gaming, we'll also run benchmarks from Guardians of the Galaxy, The Rift Breaker (CPU and GPU) and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. For the hands-on, the reviewer uses it for their work during the review period, evaluating how well the design, features (such as the screen, camera and speakers) and manufacturer-supplied software operate as a cohesive whole. We also place importance on how well they work given their cost and where the manufacturer has potentially made upgrades or tradeoffs for its price. The list of benchmarking software and comparison criteria we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. You can find a more detailed description of our test methodology on our page on how we test computers. You can find a good PC tower from brands like Acer, Asus, Dell or HP for between $500 and $600 that will prove useful for years for general use. The specs we'd suggest for a basic Windows 11 machine: Intel Core i5 (13th- or 14th-gen) or AMD Ryzen 5 (6000, 7000 or 8000 series) Default integrated graphics (such as Intel UHD or Iris or baseline AMD Radeon) 16GB of RAM or more 512GB or larger NVMe SSD drive Four or more USB 3.1 or 3.2 ports with USB-C and USB-A formats (at least one or two on the front) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless At least one PCI-E (x16) expansion slot (for adding a video card) Do you want to do some PC gaming, or do you spend time editing photos or videos? You'll want to level up the configuration with more RAM and better graphics options. Expect price points to be between $800 and $1,200 (or even higher) if you go for a more bleeding-edge video card. Nvidia RTX or AMD Radeon RX graphics card (GPU) 16GB of RAM or more 450-watt (or more) power supply Microsoft Windows and Apple's MacOS do basically the same things, but they do them differently. Unless there's an OS-specific application you need, go with the one you feel most comfortable using. Most desktops run Microsoft Windows while Apple's iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro desktops feature Apple's MacOS. There is also the odd Chromebox offering based on Google's ChromeOS. A Chromebox is easier to use and usually cheaper than a Windows PC or Mac but can't run Windows or Mac software. The processor, aka the CPU, is the brain of a desktop. Intel and AMD are the main CPU makers for Windows desktops. Both offer a staggering selection of processors. You can head to Intel's or AMD's sites for explanations so you get the performance you want. Intel's current lineup is its 13th generation of Core chips, with 14th-gen processors expected in early 2024. AMD's current desktop processor is its Ryzen 7000 series. Generally speaking, though, the faster the processor speed and the more cores it has, the better the performance will be. Apple makes its own chips for Macs, which makes things slightly more straightforward. The iMac and Mac Mini feature Apple's latest M4 processor. The Mac Studio features either an M2 Max or M2 Ultra, while the Mac Pro is based on the M2 Ultra. Again, generally speaking, the more cores it has, the better the performance. The graphics processor (GPU) handles all the work of driving the screen and generating what gets displayed, as well as speeding up a lot of graphics-related (and increasingly, AI-related) operations. For Macs, Apple's M series processors integrate the GPU. For Windows desktops, there are two types of GPUs: integrated (iGPU) or discrete (dGPU). As the names imply, an iGPU is part of the CPU package, while a dGPU is a separate chip with dedicated memory (VRAM) that it communicates with directly, making it faster than sharing memory with the CPU. Because the iGPU splits space, memory and power with the CPU, it's constrained by the limits of those. It allows for smaller desktops such as an all-in-one or SFF PC but doesn't perform nearly as well as a dGPU. In fact, there are some games and creative software that won't run unless they detect a dGPU or sufficient VRAM. Most productivity software, video streaming, web browsing and other nonspecialized apps will run fine on an iGPU. For power-hungry graphics needs, like video editing, gaming and streaming, design and so on, you'll need a dGPU. Only two real companies make them: Nvidia and AMD, although Intel offers some based on the Xe-branded (or the older UHD Graphics branding) iGPU technology in its CPUs. For memory, we highly recommend a minimum of 16GB of RAM. RAM is where the operating system stores all the data for currently running applications, and it can fill up fast. After that, it starts swapping between RAM and SSD, which is slower. Some lower-end models supply only 8GB, which in conjunction with a slower disk can make for a frustratingly slow Windows experience. Tower PCs will usually have free internal slots for adding more sticks of RAM, but all-in-ones and SFF PCs may not. Even if they do, those DIMM slots could be difficult to access. You may still find a cheaper hard drive in a budget desktop and larger hard drives in gaming PCs, but faster solid-state drives (SSDs) have all but replaced hard drives. They can make a big difference in performance. Not all SSDs are equally speedy, and cheaper desktops typically have slower drives. If your PC has only 8GB of RAM, it may end up switching to that drive and the system may slow down quickly while you're working. Get what you can afford, but we recommend a minimum of 512GB for a desktop for most users. For storing large media or game libraries, we suggest 1TB or more. If you need to go with a smaller drive, you can usually add a second internal drive to a tower PC. For all-in-ones and SFF PCs, an external drive or cloud storage is usually the easier choice to bolster a small internal drive. An all-in-one integrates the display with the computer's components placed not in a tower or small-form-factor enclosure but behind the display or in its base. The trade-off for this space-saving, streamlined design is fewer options for upgrades. For the display, you'll want a large screen with good resolution. The sweet spots we'd suggest are: 24 inches at 1,920x1,080 pixels (aka 2K or 1080p) 27 inches at 2,560x1,440 pixels (aka 1440p) 32 inches at 3,840x2,160 pixels (aka 4K) Outside of Prime Day and Black Friday sales, there are certain times of the year when you are more likely to find a good desktop deal, or the latest tech -- sometimes both. January is a good time to find a post-holiday deal, and January is also the month when new models with new components are usually announced at CES. There is generally a lead time before those new models are released. Most often they become available in the spring. In the spring months, you will not only find the latest desktops with the latest CPUs from Intel and AMD and the latest GPUs from Nvidia and AMD, but you can also find discounts on older models that are suddenly relegated to previous-gen status but are still far from being classified as outdated. The next month to keep an eye out for desktop deals is July, when retailers begin to offer back-to-school sales. Those sales will run through August and into September. This is not to say you can't lock in a solid desktop deal on any given day of the year. The large manufacturers such as Dell, HP and Lenovo constantly rotate sales on their sites, and retailers including Amazon, Best Buy and Newegg offer discounts weekly. Following the debut of the Mac Mini in 2005, Windows PC makers experimented with similarly tiny designs. In the wake of likable small models like the Acer Revo One and HP Pavilion Mini, we even saw (woefully underpowered) "PC on a stick" offerings starting in 2015, but interest seems to have ebbed since then. Outside of specialty vendors like Beelink, the best choices in this mini PC size are probably the Intel NUC (Next Unit of Computing), most of which are sold as hobbyist options, requiring some BYO additions like user-supplied storage, RAM and other components -- including the operating system. See more bare-bones Mini PCs at Newegg. If you're looking for basic computing (browsing the web, email, social media, YouTube and the like), the Chrome operating system is the most affordable route for home computing. This Google operating system effectively is little more than the Chrome web browser. That makes it easy for multiple users (only a Gmail address is needed to log in), and -- because there's no heavy operating system beyond the browser -- viruses aren't really an issue. Colloquially known as "Chromeboxes" (versus a "Chromebook" laptop), these systems don't have beefy CPUs, RAM or storage requirements. That said, if you need any software beyond browser-based web apps, or if you don't have excellent broadband, you'll want to stick with the Windows or Mac options above. Before you spend any money, check out the free version of the operating system known as ChromeOS Flex, which you can install on most old PCs (including running it from an attached USB drive). If that's not an option and you want to buy new, expect to pay between $200 and $500 for a Chrome-based desktop. The closer you get to that $500 price point, the more you should consider stepping up to a Chromebook laptop or a basic Windows tower (see above) for just a bit more. See Chromebox options at Newegg. No; Windows, Mac and ChromeOS aren't your only operating system options. Linux has a wide range of operating systems, many of which are effectively free. You can get PCs with Linux preinstalled, but the better, more affordable option is probably installing it (or dual-booting) on a used Windows PC. See Linux PC options at Newegg. You may have heard of a small computer that's no bigger than a paperback book and can be purchased for about $150. That's the Raspberry Pi, and it's 100% real and very cool, especially if you're a hobbyist looking to build your own Lego-style computer and install custom Linux operating systems. We just wouldn't recommend it as a primary computer if you're looking to run mainstream software. See the Raspberry Pi 4 kit at Amazon. We recommend a minimum of 16GB of RAM and 512GB of solid-state storage. Content creators and gamers would benefit from doubling the RAM to 32GB and the SSD to 1TB. Demanding graphics apps and 3D games will run more smoothly with the added RAM, and the added storage capacity will allow you to store large graphics files and game files. On larger desktops, you usually have room to add more memory and additional storage drives, but that expansion room is less likely on an SFF PC or all-in-one.
